How-to
How to do a forklift pre-shift inspection, step by step
By the CheckBadges team · Updated · 6 min read
The short answer
Inspect the truck before its first use each shift, in two parts. With the key off, walk around it: tires, forks, mast and chains, overhead guard, leaks, fluids, battery or fuel, data plate. Then get in, start it and test seat belt, horn, lights, alarm, brakes, steering, lift, tilt and attachments. Anything that affects safety means the truck doesn't run.
Key takeaways
- OSHA requires an examination before use, at least daily, and after each shift for round-the-clock trucks.
- Do the visual check with the key off, then the operational check with the truck running.
- Follow the truck's operator manual; it lists the daily checks for that model.
- Any condition that affects safety takes the truck out of service until it's repaired.
- OSHA doesn't require a written record, but a dated checklist is how you show it was done.
When to do a forklift pre-shift inspection
Before the truck's first use each day, and after every shift if it runs around the clock. OSHA's forklift standard says "Industrial trucks shall be examined before being placed in service, and shall not be placed in service if the examination shows any condition adversely affecting the safety of the vehicle. Such examination shall be made at least daily. Where industrial trucks are used on a round-the-clock basis, they shall be examined after each shift" (29 CFR 1910.178(q)(7)).
A truck that sits unused doesn't need examining until it's put back in service, as OSHA confirmed in a 2005 interpretation letter. Many sites also have each new operator check a truck when it changes hands mid-shift; Canada's CCOHS advises checking "every day, including at the beginning of each shift, and before using each time" (CCOHS). The full US rules are in OSHA forklift inspection requirements; for the UK, see forklift pre-use checks in the UK.
Before you start
Set the truck up so the inspection itself is safe:
- Park on level ground out of traffic, with the forks fully lowered, the parking brake set and the key off.
- Have this truck's checklist, and know where its operator manual is. The manufacturer's daily checks come first; a generic list adds to them.
- Wear what your site requires, plus eye protection and gloves for battery checks.
The steps
A complete pre-shift inspection has seven steps, done in the same order every time:
- Park safely and get the checklist. Level ground, forks down, parking brake set, key off.
- Walk around with the truck off. Tires and wheels, forks, mast and chains, overhead guard and load backrest, leaks underneath, fluid levels, data plate and decals.
- Check the power source. Battery, cables and connector on an electric truck; cylinder, hose and fittings on propane; fuel and engine fluids on diesel or gas.
- Get in and check the seat and controls. Seat, seat belt, mirrors, controls in neutral, pedals free.
- Start it and test every function. Gauges and warning lights, horn, lights, back-up alarm, service and parking brakes, steering, drive, inching, lift, lower, tilt and attachments.
- Record the result. Note the hour meter, mark each item, and describe anything wrong.
- Take it out of service if anything fails. Don't drive it: tag it and tell your supervisor.
Part 1: the visual check with the truck off
The walkaround finds most problems before you climb on. Go round the truck in the same direction every time so nothing gets skipped.
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Tires and wheels | Cuts, chunks, flat spots or embedded objects; pneumatic tires at pressure; wheel nuts all there |
| Forks | Cracks at the heel, bent or uneven tips, positioning locks in place |
| Mast and chains | Damaged or stretched chain links, loose anchor pins, damaged rollers or channels |
| Overhead guard and load backrest | Nothing bent, cracked, loose or missing |
| Hydraulics | Leaks at hoses, fittings and cylinders; fresh drips under the truck |
| Fluids | Engine oil, hydraulic fluid, coolant and fuel at the levels the manual gives |
| Capacity plate and decals | Present and readable; capacity matches any attachment fitted |
| Operator manual | In its holder on the truck |
OSHA's powered industrial truck eTool lists the same visual items: fluid levels, leaks and cracks, tires, forks, load backrest extension, finger guards, decals and nameplates, the operator manual, the operator compartment, and safety devices including the seat belt.
Part 2: in the seat
Climb on with three points of contact, then check:
- Seat and seat belt: the seat is secure and adjusted; the belt latches, retracts and isn't frayed.
- Mirrors: clean, undamaged and set for you.
- Controls: every lever in neutral, pedals free and not sticking, nothing loose on the floor.
- Fire extinguisher, if your trucks carry one: present, charged and secured.
Part 3: the operational check with the truck running
With the area clear, start the truck and test each function at low speed. OSHA's eTool operational list covers accelerator linkage, inch control, brakes, steering, drive, tilt, hoist and lowering controls, attachments, horn, lights, back-up alarm and the hour meter.
| Test | How | A pass |
|---|---|---|
| Gauges and warning lights | Watch the dash at start-up | Gauges work; no warning lights stay on |
| Hour meter | Read it | Working; write down the reading |
| Horn | Press it | Loud and clear |
| Lights, strobe, back-up alarm | Switch on; select reverse | All work |
| Service brake | Move forward slowly and brake | Stops smoothly and straight |
| Parking brake | Apply it as the manual describes | Holds the truck |
| Steering | Turn full left and full right | Smooth, no binding or excess play |
| Drive and inching | Forward, reverse, inch pedal | Smooth, no odd noises |
| Lift and lower | Raise the forks part way, then lower | Smooth, no jerking or drifting down |
| Tilt and attachments | Tilt fully forward and back; run the side-shift or clamp | Smooth, holds position |
Listen as well as look. Grinding, whining or knocking is worth reporting even when the function still works.
Electric, propane and diesel trucks: the extra checks
Each power source adds its own checks to the walkaround, and the manual for that truck has the final word:
- Electric: battery charged; cables and connector undamaged; charger unplugged and its lead stored; battery held in place by its retainer; electrolyte level per the manual unless the battery is sealed. The electric forklift checklist has the full list.
- Propane: cylinder secure in its bracket with the locating pin engaged; hose and fittings undamaged; no smell of gas. Only change cylinders if you've been trained to. See the propane forklift checklist.
- Diesel or gasoline: fuel, engine oil, coolant and transmission fluid at the right levels; no fuel leaks; no heavy smoke from the exhaust.
If something fails
Stop. A truck with any condition that affects its safety doesn't run. OSHA says a truck "found to be in need of repair, defective, or in any way unsafe" must be "taken out of service until it has been restored to safe operating condition" (1910.178(p)(1)), that "All repairs shall be made by authorized personnel" (1910.178(q)(1)), and that "Defects when found shall be immediately reported and corrected" (1910.178(q)(7)).
What counts as unsafe? OSHA's 2004 interpretation letter says "Should a gauge not be functioning properly, that truck will usually be considered defective and in need of repair", and "Broken welds, missing bolts, or damage to the overhead guard would indicate that a truck is unsafe." So park it, take the key, hang a do-not-operate tag on the controls, and tell your supervisor. The rest of the process is in what to do when equipment fails inspection.
Recording the inspection
OSHA doesn't require the daily examination to be written down. Its interpretation letters say the employer must make sure the examination happens, not that it's recorded (2000 letter). A dated record is still the only way to show it was done. Record the truck, the date and time, the operator, the hour meter reading, each item's result, and a description of any defect.
Our forklift inspection checklist prints as a daily sheet or goes on a QR code. With CheckBadges, each truck gets a QR sticker; the operator scans it with their own phone and does this check in the browser, with no app or login. A failed item needs a note and photos, emails the supervisor straight away, and is shown to the next operator who scans that truck until it's marked fixed.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a forklift pre-shift inspection take?
A few minutes for a trained operator who knows the truck. If checks are routinely finished in seconds, items are probably being ticked without being looked at.
Who should do the forklift pre-shift inspection?
OSHA's rule doesn't say who, only that the truck is examined before it's placed in service. In practice the trained operator does it, and the employer is responsible for making sure it happens every day.
Do I need to inspect a forklift that hasn't been used?
Not while it's sitting idle. OSHA has said a truck that isn't being used doesn't need the daily examination until it's put back in service, and then it must be examined before use.
What's the difference between the visual and operational forklift check?
The visual check is done with the key off: you walk around looking at tires, forks, chains, leaks and fluids. The operational check is done with the truck running: you test the horn, lights, brakes, steering, lift, tilt and attachments.
Can a forklift be used with a broken gauge?
Usually not. OSHA has said a truck with a gauge that isn't working properly will usually be considered defective and in need of repair, and a defective truck must be taken out of service until it's fixed.
Keep reading
- Forklift inspection checklistFree forklift inspection checklist for the OSHA daily pre-shift check: 30 visual and operating checks with what a pass looks like. Print it or use QR codes.
- OSHA forklift inspection rulesOSHA requires forklifts to be examined before use at least daily, and after each shift if run around the clock. What to check, who does it, records and fines.
- When equipment fails inspectionEquipment failed its pre-use check? Stop, tag it out, report it, have an authorized person repair it, then verify and release it. The OSHA rules, step by step.
- Electric forklift inspection checklistFree electric forklift daily checklist: battery charge, connector, cables, water level and restraint, plus forks, chains and brakes. Print it or use QR codes.
- Propane forklift inspection checklistFree propane forklift daily checklist: LPG cylinder pin, relief valve, hose and leaks, then engine, forks, brakes and controls. Print it or use QR codes.
- Forklift inspection appA forklift inspection app your operators don't install: they scan a QR sticker on the truck to do the daily check. Defects email you and warn the next shift.
Every machine checked, with one scan.
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.