Free checklist · Grounds & farm
Wood chipper daily inspection checklist (free, printable)
Before each day's use, test the feed control bar and every emergency stop with the engine running, check that the infeed chute, curtain and discharge chute are intact and the discharge points away from people and roads, the knives and anvil are sharp and tight, guards and access covers are closed and latched, and hydraulic hoses don't leak. Before towing, check the hitch, safety chains, lights and tires.
- How often
- Daily, before use
- The rule
- The manufacturer's manual
- Items
- 21 checks
- Takes
- About 6 minutes
By the CheckBadges team · Updated
Layout
Wood chipper daily inspection checklist
Daily, before use
| Item | OK | Problem | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Towing and setup | |||
| Hitch and couplerLatched and pinned; no cracks; tongue jack raised. | |||
| Safety chainsCrossed under the tongue; hooks closed; not dragging. | |||
| Trailer lights and plugBrake, tail and turn lights work; plug and cord intact. | |||
| Tires and wheelsPressure right; no cuts or bulges; wheel nuts tight. | |||
| Parked and chockedLevel, wheels chocked on any slope; discharge away from road and crew. | |||
| Engine off: guards and cutting parts | |||
| KnivesSharp, no chips or cracks; knife bolts tight to the manual's torque. | |||
| Anvil (bed knife)Edge square and tight; gap to the knives set per the manual. | |||
| Access covers and hoodClosed and latched; locking pin or latch works. | |||
| Infeed chute and curtainNot cracked or bent; curtain fitted; tray down at full length. | |||
| Discharge chuteSecure; locks in direction; deflector works; not cracked. | |||
| Belt and drive guardsFitted and secure. | |||
| Engine oil and coolantAt the marks; radiator screen clear. | |||
| Fuel and hydraulic oilLevels right; caps on; no leaks. | |||
| Hydraulic hosesNo leaks, cracks or rubbing. | |||
| Hour meterWrite the reading; check whether service is due. | ________ hours | ||
| Engine running: controls | |||
| Feed control barStop, reverse and forward all work from the bar at the infeed. | |||
| Emergency stopsEvery stop bar and e-stop stops the feed rollers at once. | |||
| Feed rollersTurn freely and stop instantly; no wrapped debris. | |||
| Clutch and engineEngages smoothly; no unusual noise or vibration. | |||
| Warning decalsIn place and readable at the infeed. | |||
| Crew PPEFace or eye protection, hearing protection, close-fitting clothes. | |||
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 wood chipper, item by item
Towing and setup
- Hitch and coupler — Latched and pinned; no cracks; tongue jack raised.
- Safety chains — Crossed under the tongue; hooks closed; not dragging.
- Trailer lights and plug — Brake, tail and turn lights work; plug and cord intact.
- Tires and wheels — Pressure right; no cuts or bulges; wheel nuts tight.
- Parked and chocked — Level, wheels chocked on any slope; discharge away from road and crew.
Engine off: guards and cutting parts
- Knives — Sharp, no chips or cracks; knife bolts tight to the manual's torque.
- Anvil (bed knife) — Edge square and tight; gap to the knives set per the manual.
- Access covers and hood — Closed and latched; locking pin or latch works.
- Infeed chute and curtain — Not cracked or bent; curtain fitted; tray down at full length.
- Discharge chute — Secure; locks in direction; deflector works; not cracked.
- Belt and drive guards — Fitted and secure.
- Engine oil and coolant — At the marks; radiator screen clear.
- Fuel and hydraulic oil — Levels right; caps on; no leaks.
- Hydraulic hoses — No leaks, cracks or rubbing.
- Hour meter — Write the reading; check whether service is due. (reading, in hours)
Engine running: controls
- Feed control bar — Stop, reverse and forward all work from the bar at the infeed.
- Emergency stops — Every stop bar and e-stop stops the feed rollers at once.
- Feed rollers — Turn freely and stop instantly; no wrapped debris.
- Clutch and engine — Engages smoothly; no unusual noise or vibration.
- Warning decals — In place and readable at the infeed.
- Crew PPE — Face or eye protection, hearing protection, close-fitting clothes.
How often a wood chipper has to be inspected
Check a chipper daily before use, and test the feed controls every time it's started. No OSHA rule sets a chipper inspection interval for tree care or grounds work. The nearest OSHA text is the logging standard's rule for in-woods chipping (29 CFR 1910.266(h)(4)):
- "Chipper access covers or doors shall not be opened until the drum or disc is at a complete stop."
- "Infeed and discharge ports shall be guarded to prevent contact with the disc, knives, or blower blades."
- "The chipper shall be shut down and locked out in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.147 when an employee performs any servicing or maintenance."
- "Detached trailer chippers shall be chocked during usage on any slope where rolling or sliding of the chipper is reasonably foreseeable."
The same standard requires each machine to be "inspected before initial use during each workshift" ((f)(1)(ii)) and names operating a chipper as a reason for face protection ((d)(1)(vii)). Those rules apply to logging, but they describe exactly what a daily chipper check should confirm anywhere. Tree care companies also work to ANSI Z133, the industry's consensus safety standard.
How to do the check
- Before towing, check the coupler, safety chains, lights and tires.
- Set up on site: level ground, wheels chocked on any slope, discharge pointed away from the road, the crew and parked vehicles.
- With the engine off, the key out and the disc or drum stopped, check the knives, anvil, chutes, guards and fluids. Opening the hood for knife work is servicing: lock it out as the manual describes.
- Close and latch every cover, then start the engine and let it warm up.
- Test the feed control bar in each position, then every emergency stop, before any material goes in.
- Check the crew's PPE and that everyone knows where the stops are.
The defects that take it out of service
| Defect | Why it fails |
|---|---|
| Feed control bar or an emergency stop doesn't stop the rollers | It's the control that stops a person being pulled in |
| Infeed chute cracked, shortened or tray not at full length | Hands get closer to the rollers than the design allows |
| Access cover or hood won't latch | It can open while the disc or drum is spinning |
| Dull, chipped or loose knives | Chips unevenly, strains the machine; a loose knife can come off |
| Discharge chute loose or won't hold direction | Chips and debris are thrown at people or traffic |
| Hydraulic leak | Feed control can fail; injection injury risk |
| Hitch, safety chain, light or tire damage | It can't be towed safely |
What to do when something fails
Stop the engine, take the key, tag it and don't tow it if the fault is on the trailer side. Hang a DO NOT OPERATE tag at the infeed and on the controls. Knife and anvil work is servicing, so it's done with the chipper shut down and locked out, never with the engine running. See what to do when equipment fails inspection.
Keeping the record
No OSHA rule requires a written daily chipper record. A dated check with the operator's name and the hour meter reading still shows the feed control was tested that morning, and it tracks knife sharpening and service hours. See equipment inspection record keeping and equipment checks for tree care crews.
A QR sticker by the control panel lets the crew lead do this check on their phone before the first branch goes in. A failed stop bar emails you straight away with a photo, and CheckBadges warns the next person who scans the chipper until it's fixed. See QR code equipment checklists.
Skip the clipboard
Put this wood chipper 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.
Wood chipper 1
Wood chipper inspection checklist
Frequently asked questions
How do you test a wood chipper's feed control bar?
With the engine running and nothing in the chute, move the bar through each position and check the feed rollers stop, reverse and go forward as the decal shows. Then press every emergency stop and check the rollers stop at once. If any control fails, don't feed material.
How often should chipper knives be sharpened?
When they're dull or chipped, which depends on hours and what you chip. Check them every day, follow the manual's interval, and torque the knife bolts to its figure with the chipper locked out.
Does OSHA have rules for wood chippers?
Only in logging: 29 CFR 1910.266(h)(4) covers access covers, guarded infeed and discharge ports, lockout for servicing and chocking trailer chippers on slopes. Elsewhere, machine guarding rules and the manufacturer's manual apply, and tree care companies also follow ANSI Z133.
What PPE do you need to run a wood chipper?
Eye and face protection (OSHA's logging rule names operating a chipper as a reason for face protection), hearing protection, head protection where objects can fall, and close-fitting clothes with nothing loose that the rollers could catch.
Why must chipper covers stay shut until the disc stops?
A chipper disc or drum keeps spinning for some time after the engine stops. OSHA's logging rule says access covers "shall not be opened until the drum or disc is at a complete stop" (29 CFR 1910.266(h)(4)(i)).
Keep reading
- Chainsaw inspection checklistFree chainsaw inspection checklist: chain brake, chain catcher, throttle lockout, stop switch, chain sharpness and tension, bar, muffler, spark arrester, PPE.
- Trailer inspection checklistFree trailer inspection checklist for equipment, utility and semi-trailers: hitch, safety chains, breakaway, lights, brakes, tires, ramps and tie-downs.
- Tractor inspection checklistFree tractor inspection checklist for farms and grounds crews: ROPS, seat belt, PTO shields, hitch, hydraulics, tires, lights, SMV emblem and brakes.
- Tree careTree care equipment inspection checklists on a QR sticker per chipper, saw, bucket truck and climbing kit. Arborists scan with their phone; no app or login.
- LandscapingLandscaping equipment checklists on a QR sticker per mower, trailer and truck. Crews scan with their phone before leaving the yard; no app. Free for 3 machines.
- Public worksMunicipal fleet equipment inspections on a QR sticker per plow, loader, sweeper and truck. Crews scan with their phone, no app. Records ready for any request.
Do your wood chipper 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.