Free checklist · Aerial & lifting
Scissor lift inspection checklist (free, printable)
This scissor lift pre-use inspection checklist covers the work area, a walk-around (scissor arms, pins, hydraulics, tires, pothole guards), the platform (guardrails, gate, deck) and function tests: ground and platform controls, emergency stop, brakes, tilt alarm and emergency lowering. OSHA covers many scissor lifts under its scaffold rule, which requires an inspection before each shift. Free to print, or use it by QR code.
- How often
- Before each shift
- The rule
- OSHA 1926.451(f)(3) + ANSI A92
- Items
- 27 checks
- Takes
- About 7 minutes
By the CheckBadges team · Updated
Layout
Scissor lift inspection checklist
Before each shift
| Item | OK | Problem | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work area | |||
| Overhead hazardsNo power lines within 10 ft; no beams, pipes or branches in the path | |||
| Ground surfaceFirm and level; no holes, drop-offs, slopes, debris or soft ground | |||
| Traffic and peopleArea coned off so vehicles and other machines can't hit the lift | |||
| Wind and weatherWind below the limit on the lift's decal; no storm coming | |||
| Walk-around (platform down, power off) | |||
| Manual and decalsOperator's manual in its holder; capacity and warning decals readable | |||
| Scissor arms and pinsNo cracks, bends or weld damage; pins and retainers in place | |||
| Hydraulic cylinder and hosesNo leaks, wet fittings or chafed hoses; no oil under the lift | |||
| Hydraulic oil levelBetween the marks with the platform fully lowered | |||
| Tires and wheelsNo cuts or chunks; not worn down to the wheel; wheel nuts tight | |||
| Pothole guardsBars under the chassis not bent and free to move | |||
| Battery or fuel levelEnough charge or fuel for the shift | ☐ Full ☐ 3/4 ☐ 1/2 ☐ 1/4 or less | ||
| Battery, charger and cablesCables tight, no corrosion; charger unplugged and cord stowed | |||
| Engine oil and coolantRough-terrain models: at the marks, no leaks | |||
| Outriggers or levelersPads and cylinders undamaged and not leaking | |||
| Platform | |||
| GuardrailsTop rail, mid rail and toe boards in place; nothing loose or bent | |||
| Entry gate or chainGate self-closes and latches; chain, if fitted, hooks across | |||
| Deck and extensionFloor not damaged or slippery; extension deck slides and locks | |||
| Platform control boxJoystick, switches and decals intact; box secure on the rail | |||
| Function tests | |||
| Ground controlsPlatform raises and lowers from the ground station | |||
| Emergency stopsRed buttons at the ground and platform each stop all functions | |||
| Platform controlsLift, drive and steer work only with the enable switch held | |||
| BrakesLift stops promptly and holds still when you release the controls | |||
| Pothole guards deployGuards drop as the platform rises; drive cuts out if they don't | |||
| Elevated drive speedDrive slows to creep speed once the platform is raised | |||
| Tilt alarmAlarm sounds and functions cut out when off level; test per manual | |||
| Emergency loweringManual lowering valve located; lowers the platform when used | |||
| Motion and descent alarmsBeeper or light works when lowering or driving, if fitted | |||
Problems found and action taken:
If anything is a problem, don't use the machine: tag it out and report it. Free checklist from checkbadges.com — put it on a QR sticker and operators can fill it in on their phone.
What to check on a scissor lift, item by item
Work area
- Overhead hazards — No power lines within 10 ft; no beams, pipes or branches in the path
- Ground surface — Firm and level; no holes, drop-offs, slopes, debris or soft ground
- Traffic and people — Area coned off so vehicles and other machines can't hit the lift
- Wind and weather — Wind below the limit on the lift's decal; no storm coming
Walk-around (platform down, power off)
- Manual and decals — Operator's manual in its holder; capacity and warning decals readable
- Scissor arms and pins — No cracks, bends or weld damage; pins and retainers in place
- Hydraulic cylinder and hoses — No leaks, wet fittings or chafed hoses; no oil under the lift
- Hydraulic oil level — Between the marks with the platform fully lowered
- Tires and wheels — No cuts or chunks; not worn down to the wheel; wheel nuts tight
- Pothole guards — Bars under the chassis not bent and free to move
- Battery or fuel level — Enough charge or fuel for the shift (Full / 3/4 / 1/2 / 1/4 or less)
- Battery, charger and cables — Cables tight, no corrosion; charger unplugged and cord stowed
- Engine oil and coolant — Rough-terrain models: at the marks, no leaks
- Outriggers or levelers — Pads and cylinders undamaged and not leaking
Platform
- Guardrails — Top rail, mid rail and toe boards in place; nothing loose or bent
- Entry gate or chain — Gate self-closes and latches; chain, if fitted, hooks across
- Deck and extension — Floor not damaged or slippery; extension deck slides and locks
- Platform control box — Joystick, switches and decals intact; box secure on the rail
Function tests
- Ground controls — Platform raises and lowers from the ground station
- Emergency stops — Red buttons at the ground and platform each stop all functions
- Platform controls — Lift, drive and steer work only with the enable switch held
- Brakes — Lift stops promptly and holds still when you release the controls
- Pothole guards deploy — Guards drop as the platform rises; drive cuts out if they don't
- Elevated drive speed — Drive slows to creep speed once the platform is raised
- Tilt alarm — Alarm sounds and functions cut out when off level; test per manual
- Emergency lowering — Manual lowering valve located; lowers the platform when used
- Motion and descent alarms — Beeper or light works when lowering or driving, if fitted
How often a scissor lift has to be inspected
A scissor lift has to be inspected before each shift. OSHA says "Many scissor lifts are covered under OSHA's Scaffolding standard" (OSHA scissor lift hazard alert), and that standard says scaffolds "shall be inspected for visible defects by a competent person before each work shift, and after any occurrence which could affect a scaffold's structural integrity" (29 CFR 1926.451(f)(3)). The same alert notes that manufacturers' instructions generally include how to "Test and inspect controls and components before each use."
The ANSI A92 standards for mobile elevating work platforms, as summarized by manufacturers and SAIA, add three levels of inspection:
| Inspection | When | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-start | Before use, each shift | The operator |
| Frequent | Every 3 months or 150 hours, whichever comes first | A qualified person |
| Annual | No later than 13 months after the last one | A qualified person |
This checklist is the pre-start inspection. The frequent and annual inspections go deeper and are done by a technician; if you rent, the rental company usually handles them, but the pre-start check is still yours. More in scissor lift inspection requirements.
OSHA's 2016 alert explains why the check matters: "Over a one-year period, OSHA investigated ten preventable fatalities and more than 20 preventable injuries" involving scissor lifts, and most came down to fall protection, stabilization and positioning.
How to do the check
Check the work area first, then the machine with the platform down, then every function from the ground controls before anyone goes up.
- Look at where you'll work. Overhead power lines, beams and pipes; holes, slopes, drop-offs and soft ground; traffic. OSHA's alert advises staying at least 10 feet from power lines and other electrical sources.
- Walk around the lift with the platform down. Scissor arms, pins, cylinder, hoses, tires, pothole guards, the manual and the decals.
- Check fluids and power. Hydraulic oil with the platform fully lowered, then battery charge or fuel.
- Check the platform. Guardrails, gate, deck and the control box.
- Test from the ground controls. Raise and lower a short way, and test the emergency stop.
- Test from the platform. Enable switch, lift, drive, steer and brakes, the drop to creep speed once raised, the pothole guards, and the tilt alarm the way the manual describes.
- Find the emergency lowering valve, and make sure everyone on the crew knows where it is.
- Record and report. Don't use a lift that fails.
The defects that take a scissor lift out of service
Anything that affects the lift's stability, controls or guardrails takes it out of service.
| Defect | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Missing, loose or bent guardrail, or a gate that won't latch | OSHA says scissor lifts "must have guardrails installed to prevent workers from falling" |
| Emergency stop or ground controls not working | Nobody can stop the lift or bring it down from below |
| Tilt alarm or pothole guards not working | The lift can be raised or driven where it will tip |
| Hydraulic leak, or a cracked scissor arm or pin | The platform can drift down or collapse |
| Brakes don't hold | The lift can roll while raised |
| Emergency lowering doesn't work | An operator can be stranded at height |
| Missing manual or unreadable capacity decal | Operators can't check limits or procedures |
What to do when something fails
Lower the platform, switch the lift off, tag the controls and report it. The scaffold rule says a damaged or weakened part must be "immediately repaired or replaced, braced to meet those provisions, or removed from service until repaired" (1926.451(f)(4)), and on construction sites, unsafe equipment must be identified "by tagging or locking the controls to render them inoperable" or removed (29 CFR 1926.20(b)(3)).
Use an out-of-service tag on the platform controls. If the lift is rented, call the rental company rather than repairing it yourself. The full process is in what to do when equipment fails inspection.
Keeping the record
OSHA's scaffold rule doesn't say the before-shift inspection must be written down, but a dated record is the only way to show it happened. The ANSI A92 standards, as manufacturers summarize them, expect frequent and annual inspections to be recorded by a qualified person, and in the UK, IPAF recommends logging pre-use checks too. See equipment inspection record keeping.
Doing it on a phone
A QR sticker on the platform rail turns this list into a phone check for whoever goes up, with no app or login. Problems email you with photos, and the next operator who scans that lift sees the open problem before raising it. See aerial lift inspections by QR code; CheckBadges is free for 3 machines.
Skip the clipboard
Put this scissor lift inspection checklist on a QR sticker.
- Operators scan the sticker with their own phone's camera. No app, account or password.
- Anything marked Problem emails you right away, with photos, and warns the next operator.
- Every check is saved by machine with who did it and when. Print one or export a CSV.
Free for 3 machines. Every item above is already filled in — edit anything. No card.
Scissor lift 1
Scissor lift inspection checklist
Frequently asked questions
How often should scissor lifts be inspected?
Before every shift, under OSHA's scaffold rule (by a competent person) and the ANSI A92 pre-start inspection (by the operator). The ANSI standards, as manufacturers summarize them, add a frequent inspection every 3 months or 150 hours and an annual inspection within 13 months, both by a qualified person.
Do scissor lifts need an annual inspection?
Yes, under the ANSI A92 standards that manufacturers follow: no later than 13 months after the last one, by a qualified person, and recorded. OSHA has no separate annual scissor lift rule, but manufacturers' manuals call for it, and rental companies do it on their own fleets.
Who can do a scissor lift pre-use inspection?
Under OSHA's scaffold rule, the before-shift inspection must be done by a competent person: someone who can recognize the hazards and is authorized to correct them. In practice that's usually a trained operator who knows the model.
Do you need to wear a harness in a scissor lift?
OSHA's scissor lift guidance relies on guardrails: lifts "must have guardrails installed to prevent workers from falling." Some manufacturers and sites also require a restraint lanyard clipped to the platform's anchor points, so follow the manual and your site rules, and never stand on the rails.
Is a scissor lift an aerial lift under OSHA?
Usually not. OSHA's aerial lift rule, 1926.453, covers boom-type platforms, and OSHA says many scissor lifts are covered by the scaffold standard instead. Under the ANSI A92 standards, both are mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs).
Keep reading
- Scissor lift inspection rulesOSHA covers many scissor lifts under its scaffold rules: a competent person inspects before each shift. Plus ANSI pre-start, frequent and annual inspections.
- Aerial lift inspection checklistFree aerial lift and MEWP pre-use inspection checklist for scissor and boom lifts, plus the ANSI A92 pre-start, frequent and annual inspections explained.
- Boom lift inspection checklistFree boom lift pre-start inspection checklist for articulating and telescopic booms: boom, jib, turntable, platform, anchors, controls and emergency lowering.
- Aerial lift inspection appAn aerial lift inspection app for MEWP pre-start checks: scan the QR sticker on a scissor or boom lift and check on any phone, no app or login. Defects email you.
- ConstructionConstruction equipment inspections on a QR sticker per machine. Operators and subs scan with their own phone, no app or login. Defects email you with photos.
- Equipment rentalRental equipment inspections on a QR sticker: a dated, photographed condition check each time a machine goes out and comes back. No app or login needed.
Do your scissor lift checks by QR code.
Stick a QR code on every machine and operators do the pre-use check on their own phone — no app, no login. Free for up to 3 machines; try it with your real machines before you sign up.