Daily equipment inspection checklist
What to check before every shift, and how to keep a record
A walk-around takes about a minute when the operator knows what to look at. This list works for most heavy equipment and trucks. Adjust it to your machines and to the rules your insurer and regulator set, because RigCheck is a record-keeping tool and does not replace any inspection your regulator requires.
Before you climb on
- Walk all the way around. Look under the machine for fresh puddles of oil, coolant, fuel or hydraulic fluid.
- Tires or tracks. Pressure, cuts, bulges, missing lugs, loose or worn track shoes.
- Structure. Cracks in the frame, boom, stick, bucket or blade, and bent or missing pins and bushings.
- Attachments. Quick coupler locked, bucket teeth or cutting edge in place, attachment pins secured.
- Hoses and cylinders. Wet, cracked, rubbing or leaking hydraulic hoses and fittings. A weeping cylinder rod.
- Guards, steps and handholds. Present, clean and not loose. Mud on steps is a fall waiting to happen.
Under the hood
- Engine oil, coolant and hydraulic oil levels. Check cold, on level ground.
- Fuel and water separator. Enough fuel for the shift, and drain the separator if your manual says so.
- Belts and battery. Belts tight and not frayed, terminals clean and tight.
- Air filter indicator. Not in the red.
In the cab
- Seat belt and restraint. Latches, and the belt is not frayed. Seat bar or lap bar works on loaders.
- Lights, horn and backup alarm. Test each one. A dead backup alarm is a reason to park it.
- Mirrors, glass and wipers. Clean, not cracked, and positioned so the operator can see.
- Controls and brakes. Move smoothly, return to neutral, and the machine stops when it should. Check the parking brake.
- Gauges and warning lights. Nothing lit that should not be after start-up.
- Fire extinguisher. Present, charged and mounted. First aid kit if your company requires one.
Trucks and trailers, add these
- Air brake system. Listen for leaks and check the gauge builds pressure.
- Coupling. Fifth wheel or pintle locked, safety chains and breakaway cable connected.
- Trailer lights and reflectors. Brake, turn and marker lights work.
- Load securement. Straps, chains and binders in good condition.
When to take it out of service
Decide the rule once and write it down: anything that affects steering, braking, lifting, restraints or the ability to see is safety-critical. If a safety-critical item fails, the machine does not run until it is fixed and someone has looked at it. Everything else, such as a cracked mirror or a worn step, gets written up and scheduled, and the machine can usually keep working.
Keep a record you can show
Paper sheets get wet, lost and filled out after the fact. Whatever you use, a useful record shows who checked, when, the machine and its hours, what failed, and what was done about it. That is what an insurer or auditor asks for after an incident, and it is also how you spot the machine that keeps coming back with the same problem.
Make it take a minute, not ten
RigCheck puts this list on a QR sticker on each machine. The operator scans it, taps Pass or Fail, and a failed safety item emails you right away, with photos if they took any. Every machine gets its own checklist for its type, and you can edit it. The first 14 days are free, with no card.