Forklift daily inspection checklist.

Before starting the engine

These checks are done with the machine off, by eye and by hand. Two or three minutes in total.

• Look underneath. Any oil or hydraulic fluid on the floor. A fresh patch is the first sign of a leak starting.
• Tyres. Wear, cuts, embedded objects. Low pressure on pneumatic tyres upsets the balance of the machine.
• Forks. Thinning tips, cracks, bending or separation at the heel. A fork failure means a serious accident.
• Chains. Equal tension on both sides, no cracked or rusted links, properly lubricated.
• Mast and rollers. Distortion, rubbing marks, loose bolts.
• Overhead guard and load backrest. No cracks, dents or missing bolts.
• Fluid levels. Engine oil, hydraulic oil, coolant. On electric machines, battery electrolyte level and charge.
• Seat belt. Does it latch, is the webbing worn.

After starting the engine

This part is done unloaded, in a clear area. Two minutes.

• Brakes. Do the foot brake and parking brake hold. Any delay in braking means the machine should not be used.
• Steering. Excessive play, does it turn smoothly both ways.
• Lift and lower. Do the forks rise and fall smoothly without snagging. They should not drift down on their own.
• Tilt. Moves forward and back cleanly and holds position.
• Horn and alarms. Horn working, reversing alarm audible.
• Lights and beacon. Critical indoors and on evening shifts.
• Instrument panel. Any warning lamp staying lit.

If any of these checks fail, the machine should not be used. "It will do for today" is the sentence behind most forklift accidents.

Why keeping a record helps

Ticking the checks off on a simple sheet, rather than just doing them, gives you three things. It shows the check actually happened. It reveals recurring problems, such as a hydraulic level that drops every week, so a fault is caught before it grows. And on a hired machine, it gives you a record if a dispute comes up.

The sheet does not need to be complicated. Date, shift, operator name and a tick box next to each item is enough.

Who is responsible on a hired machine

Scheduled servicing and major faults are the hire company job. Daily checks and correct operation sit with whoever is running the machine on site. The split matters more than people think, because most faults come from misuse or from a small symptom nobody flagged.

If you notice something on a machine you have hired, tell us rather than carrying on. A small hydraulic leak reported early is far easier to deal with than a mast rebuild. That is the approach that works for both sides.

At the end of the shift

• Lower the forks to the ground and tilt them slightly forward.
• Apply the parking brake and put the machine in neutral.
• Switch off and take the key.
• On electric machines, put it on charge and check electrolyte if due.
• Record anything unusual you noticed during the day so the next shift knows.