Equipment checks for landscaping
Mower, trailer and truck checks before the crews roll out.
CheckBadges puts a QR sticker on each mower, trailer, truck, chipper and saw kit in your landscaping fleet. Before the trucks leave the yard, crew members scan them with their own phones and do each machine's check in the browser, with no app or login. Anything wrong emails you with photos at once and warns whoever scans it next, and every check is kept by machine.
What pre-use checks have to handle
Crews gone by 6:30
Nobody's in the office when the trucks load. A problem emails you the moment it's submitted, so you hear about it before the first property, not at the end of the day.
Seasonal hires every spring
You add people in March and lose some by July. New hires scan with their own phone and type their name; there's no app, account or password.
Trailers on the highway
Coupler, safety chains, lights, tires and the ramp latch take a minute to check and protect everyone else on the road.
Blades, belts and deflectors
Mower decks take a beating. A guard and discharge-chute question on every check catches the deflector that cracked yesterday.
Equipment that changes crews
The mower crew A used yesterday is crew B's today. Any open problem shows to whoever scans it next, until you mark it fixed.
Trucks that count as commercial vehicles
A truck and trailer rated 10,001 pounds or more combined, used in interstate commerce, is a commercial motor vehicle under 49 CFR 390.5, with federal inspection rules.
How landscaping crews check equipment with QR codes
Each mower, trailer and truck gets a QR sticker, and crew members scan them while the trailers load. Their phone opens that machine's checklist: blades, belts, guards, the operator-presence switch, tires, fuel and oil leaks for a mower; coupler, chains, lights and ramp for a trailer. Each takes about a minute.
A spring morning at a company with three crews and 12 machines:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6:05 a.m. | Crew 1 loads up. The lead scans the truck, the trailer and the stand-on mower, and a crew member scans the second mower. |
| 6:10 a.m. | On trailer 2, the safety chain hook is bent open. The lead marks it as a Problem and takes a photo. |
| 6:10 a.m. | You get the email at home, and trailer 2 turns red on your dashboard. Crew 2 hitches trailer 4 instead. |
| 6:20 a.m. | You glance at the dashboard: 11 of 12 machines checked today, one open problem. |
| 6:30 a.m. | All three crews are on the road. |
| 4:15 p.m. | Back at the yard, the shop replaces the hook and marks the problem fixed. Tomorrow's crew sees no warning. |
Which rules apply to landscaping equipment
There's no OSHA standard written for mowers or trimmers, so the operator's manual sets the daily checks for each machine. The rules that do reach a landscaping fleet are mostly about the road:
- Trucks and trailers. Under 49 CFR 390.5, a vehicle or combination with a weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more, used on a highway in interstate commerce, is a commercial motor vehicle. A heavy-duty pickup towing a loaded equipment trailer can get there. CMV drivers must be satisfied the vehicle is safe before driving (396.13) and file a written report at the end of the day when they find a defect (396.11). Trucks used only within one state fall under that state's rules. See DVIR requirements.
- Chainsaws and chippers. Follow the manufacturer's daily checks. For tree work, OSHA lists ANSI Z133, the arboricultural safety standard, as a reference; more on tree care equipment.
- Riding mowers with ROPS. Check the ROPS is up and the seat belt works, as the manual says.
This summarizes the rules; check the current text and your state's requirements.
Seasonal crews, languages and saw kits
Seasonal crew members can do checks on their first day: they scan with their own phone and type their name, which the phone remembers. The questions are whatever you write, so they can be in Spanish, English or both. CheckBadges' own buttons are in English.
You don't need a sticker on every trimmer and blower. Make a machine called "Crew 2 handhelds" with a checklist that covers the kit: each trimmer's head and guard, the blower, the hedge trimmer, the saw's chain brake. Stick the code inside the truck's tool box. One scan checks the kit, and you pay for one machine, not eight. Give a machine its own sticker when you want its own history.
What you get
- An email the moment a check finds a problem, with the crew member's note and photos.
- A warning for the next person who scans that machine, until it's marked fixed.
- Today's checks at a glance: which machines have been checked today and which have open problems.
- A history for every machine, filterable by dates and problems, printable, and exportable as CSV.
What it costs
CheckBadges is free for up to 3 machines, with every feature. Pro is $9 a month for your first 3 machines, plus $1.50 a month for each machine after that, so a company with 12 machines pays $22.50 a month, and 25 machines is $42 a month. Crew members are unlimited, so the spring hiring wave costs nothing.
When CheckBadges isn't the right fit
CheckBadges has no GPS or route tracking, so it won't show where crews are or how long a property took. It doesn't schedule services, like blade sharpening every so many hours, or raise work orders. It needs a data connection to open and submit a check, which is rarely a problem at the yard. And if your trucks are CMVs and you want a full DVIR workflow with repair certification, a dedicated DVIR app fits better; compare in the best vehicle inspection apps.
Free checklists for landscaping
Print them, or put each one on a QR sticker so operators fill it in on their phone.
- Free checklistLawn mower inspection checklistFree daily mower inspection checklist for zero-turn, stand-on and walk-behind mowers: blades, deck, discharge chute, seat switch, ROPS, belts, tires and fuel.
- Free checklistTrailer inspection checklistFree trailer inspection checklist for equipment, utility and semi-trailers: hitch, safety chains, breakaway, lights, brakes, tires, ramps and tie-downs.
- Free checklistPre-trip inspection checklistFree truck pre-trip inspection checklist in CDL order: engine compartment, cab and air brake checks, lights, tires, brakes, coupling and emergency equipment.
- Free checklistChainsaw inspection checklistFree chainsaw inspection checklist: chain brake, chain catcher, throttle lockout, stop switch, chain sharpness and tension, bar, muffler, spark arrester, PPE.
- Free checklistWood chipper inspection checklistFree wood chipper inspection checklist: feed control bar, emergency stops, infeed and discharge chutes, knives and anvil, hitch, safety chains and hydraulics.
- Free checklistSkid steer inspection checklistFree skid steer and compact track loader daily inspection checklist: lift arm support, seat bar interlock, quick-attach wedges, tires or tracks and fluids.
Set it up in three steps
- 01
Add your machines
Name your business, list your machines and pick a starting checklist. No signup, sales call or card — make an account once you like it.
- 02
Stick on their QR codes
Every machine gets its own sticker. Print them on label paper and put each one where operators look before they start.
- 03
Operators scan and check
Phone camera, tap, answer, submit: about a minute. A problem emails you and warns the next person to scan that machine.
Frequently asked questions
What should a mower inspection checklist include?
Blades sharp and secure, deck and belt guards in place, discharge chute or deflector intact, the operator-presence (seat or bail) switch stopping the blades, tires, fuel and oil leaks, and on riding mowers, the ROPS and seat belt. Match it to the mower's operator's manual.
Do landscaping trucks need a DVIR?
Only if they're commercial motor vehicles: rated 10,001 pounds or more (alone or with the trailer) and used in interstate commerce. Then drivers must report defects found at the end of the day under 49 CFR 396.11; no report is needed when nothing is wrong. Trucks used only within one state fall under state rules.
Do I need a QR code on every trimmer and blower?
No. Make one machine for each crew's handheld kit, with a checklist covering every tool in it, and stick the code in the truck. Give a tool its own sticker only when you want a separate history for it.
Can crew members do the checks in Spanish?
Yes. You write the questions, so write them in Spanish or put both languages in each question. CheckBadges' own buttons are in English.
Keep reading
- Vehicle inspection appA vehicle inspection app for pre-trip checks: drivers scan a QR sticker in the cab and check on their own phone, with no app or login. Defects email you.
- DVIR requirementsA DVIR is required at the end of each day's work only when a defect is found. Repairs must be certified and reports kept 3 months. The FMCSA rules for 2026.
- Checklists without an appHow to get operators to do equipment checks without installing an app: paper, a shared tablet, Google Forms, or QR stickers that open the check in the browser.
- Label equipment with QR codesHow to label equipment with QR codes: where to put them on each machine, which label materials survive, what size to print, static vs dynamic codes, upkeep.
- QR code label makerMake printable QR code labels for equipment and assets. One label per line, a link for each, 8 or 30 a page. Free, no signup, nothing uploaded.
- WarehousesWarehouse forklift checklists on a QR sticker per truck. Operators and temps scan with their phone, no app or login. Problems email you and warn the next shift.
Check every mower and trailer in the yard 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.