Equipment checks for tree care
Chipper, saw, bucket truck and climbing gear checks before the first cut.
CheckBadges puts a QR sticker on each chipper, chainsaw kit, stump grinder, bucket truck and climbing kit. Crew members scan it with their own phone and do its pre-use check in the browser, with no app or login. A problem emails you with photos at once and warns the next person who scans it, and every check is kept by machine with who did it and when.
What pre-use checks have to handle
Chippers that don't forgive
The feed control bar, stop switches and knives get checked before the first branch goes in, not after something sounds wrong.
Bucket truck controls
Lift controls on vehicle-mounted aerial devices must be tested each day before use (29 CFR 1910.67(c)(2)(i)).
Climbing gear
Personal fall protection must be inspected before initial use during each workshift (1910.140(c)(18)). A sticker on each climber's kit bag makes that a scan.
Saws in every truck
Chain brakes, chain catchers and throttle lockouts on a dozen saws. Use a sticker per saw, or one per crew's saw kit.
Storm work at first light
After a storm, crews go out before anyone's in the office. Problems reach your inbox the moment they're found.
Crews that change daily
Climbers and ground workers move between crews. There are no accounts to set up; whoever runs the machine scans it.
How tree crews check equipment with QR codes
Each machine and kit gets a QR sticker: on the chipper's control panel, the bucket truck's pedestal, the stump grinder's handlebar, the climber's gear bag. Before the first use of the day, crew members scan them with their phones and work through each checklist. A problem needs a note and can carry up to three photos.
A morning at a tree service with three crews and 20 stickered machines and kits:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6:30 a.m. | Crew 1's foreman scans the bucket truck: outriggers, hydraulic hoses, controls tested at the lower and upper stations, boom cradled for travel. |
| 6:34 a.m. | The ground worker scans the chipper: feed control bar stops and reverses the rollers, knives tight, guards on, hitch and chains. |
| 6:36 a.m. | Crew 2's climber scans their kit bag: saddle, lanyard, rope, carabiners. They mark a lanyard as a Problem: "core showing near the snap". Photo attached. |
| 6:36 a.m. | You get the email. The kit shows red on the dashboard, and the climber takes the spare lanyard. |
| 6:45 a.m. | Crew 3 scans the saw kit and the stump grinder. The dashboard shows which machines and kits have been checked today. |
| 7:30 a.m. | You retire the damaged lanyard and mark the problem fixed with a note: "replaced, old one cut up". |
Which rules apply to tree care equipment
OSHA says "The tree care industry must comply with all the general industry standards," and lists them on its tree care standards page. For equipment checks, the ones that matter most:
| Equipment | Rule or standard | What it calls for |
|---|---|---|
| Bucket trucks and aerial devices | 1910.67(c)(2) | Lift controls tested each day prior to use; boom cradled and outriggers stowed before travel |
| Harnesses, lanyards, fall protection | 1910.140(c)(18) | Inspected before initial use during each workshift for mildew, wear, damage and other deterioration; defective parts removed from service |
| Chippers, saws, stump grinders | Manufacturer | The daily checks in each operator's manual |
| All of it | ANSI Z133 | The arboricultural safety standard. OSHA lists it as a reference and notes it isn't an OSHA regulation |
If you do line-clearance work near power lines, 29 CFR 1910.269 adds its own requirements. Trucks rated 10,001 pounds or more used in interstate commerce are commercial motor vehicles with their own inspection rules; see DVIR requirements. This summarizes the rules; check the current text and your state plan.
Climbing kits and saws: a sticker each, or one per kit
Climbing gear is personal, so give each climber's kit its own sticker and a checklist naming each piece, with its serial number in a text question if you track them. Saws can go either way: a sticker per saw gives each its own history, while one sticker per crew's saw kit, with a checklist for each saw by number, is one scan in the morning and one machine on your bill.
What you get
- An email the moment a check finds a problem, with photos, to you and anyone else on your alert list.
- A warning for the next person who scans that machine or kit, until you mark it fixed.
- Today's checks at a glance, across every crew.
- A history for every machine and kit, printable for a client or an insurer, and exportable as CSV. When something fails a check, the record shows who found it and when.
What it costs
CheckBadges is free for up to 3 machines. Pro is $9 a month for your first 3 machines, plus $1.50 a month for each machine after that, so a three-crew company with 20 stickers pays $34.50 a month. Crew members are unlimited.
When CheckBadges isn't the right fit
CheckBadges needs a data connection to open and submit a check, so on rural jobs with no signal, check equipment at the yard before the trucks leave. It doesn't remind you when rope or a harness reaches the manufacturer's retirement age, keep training records, or schedule services. It has no GPS, so it won't show where the crews are.
Free checklists for tree care
Print them, or put each one on a QR sticker so operators fill it in on their phone.
- 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 checklistChainsaw inspection checklistFree chainsaw inspection checklist: chain brake, chain catcher, throttle lockout, stop switch, chain sharpness and tension, bar, muffler, spark arrester, PPE.
- Free checklistAerial 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.
- Free checklistHarness inspection checklistFree fall protection harness inspection checklist: webbing, stitching, D-rings, buckles, labels, lanyard or SRL, shock pack and connectors, before each use.
- 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.
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 wood chipper daily inspection include?
The feed control bar and emergency stops stopping and reversing the feed rollers, knives sharp and tight, guards and the discharge chute secure, hydraulic hoses and fluid levels, tires, lights, and the hitch, safety chains and breakaway on the tow vehicle. Follow the chipper's operator's manual.
How often should climbing gear be inspected?
Before each use. OSHA's general industry rule, 29 CFR 1910.140(c)(18), requires personal fall protection to be inspected before initial use during each workshift, with defective components removed from service. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for each piece too.
Do bucket trucks need a daily inspection?
The lift controls do: 29 CFR 1910.67(c)(2)(i) requires them to be tested each day prior to use. The truck's manual adds its own daily checks, and the truck itself may fall under vehicle inspection rules if it's a commercial motor vehicle.
Does OSHA have a tree care standard?
OSHA covers tree care through its general industry standards, such as 1910.67 for aerial devices and 1910.140 for fall protection, and says the industry must comply with all of them. ANSI Z133 is the industry's consensus safety standard; OSHA lists it as a reference, not a regulation.
Keep reading
- 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.
- Wood chipper inspection checklistFree wood chipper inspection checklist: feed control bar, emergency stops, infeed and discharge chutes, knives and anvil, hitch, safety chains and hydraulics.
- 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.
- Out-of-service tag makerPrint DANGER – DO NOT OPERATE and OUT OF SERVICE tags for defective equipment. Fill in the machine, problem and date, or leave blanks. Free, no signup.
- 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.
- 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 chipper, saw and bucket truck 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.