An aerial work platform fails in service for one of four reasons: something was loose, something was worn, something was damaged, or something was deliberately bypassed. Every one of those is visible before the machine leaves the ground. This checklist is the walk-round we recommend before each shift, grouped in the order a competent operator would actually do it.
What a pre-shift inspection is for
The inspection is not a maintenance task. It is a check that the machine is in the condition it was in when it was last declared fit, and that nothing has changed since. Ten minutes at the start of a shift catches almost everything that leads to a breakdown or an incident during it.
Before you climb on
| Check | What you are looking for |
|---|---|
| Tyres and wheels | Cuts, flat spots, missing wheel nuts, foreign objects between the wheels |
| Scissor arms or boom sections | Cracks, fresh paint over a weld, deformation, missing pins or clips |
| Hydraulic system | Oil on the floor under the machine, weeping hoses, a cylinder rod with score marks |
| Battery | Charge state, acid level on lead acid packs, corrosion on terminals, damaged cables |
| Charger and cable | Cut insulation, a plug that has been repaired, a charger left in a puddle |
| Guardrails and gates | Deformation, missing fasteners, a gate that does not latch by itself |
| Labels and load chart | The rating plate, the load chart and the safety decals present and legible |
| Pothole protection or outriggers | Moves freely and is not jammed with debris |
| Fluid leaks on the deck | A sign that something above is leaking onto the platform |
At the platform
| Check | What you are looking for |
|---|---|
| Controls | Every function moves the machine exactly as labelled, with no delay or creep |
| Emergency stop | Stops all movement immediately, from the platform and from the ground |
| Emergency descent | Works with the power isolated |
| Tilt alarm and cut-out | Sounds before the platform reaches the rated slope limit |
| Levelling | The platform sits level, with no drift while stationary |
| Brakes and drive | The machine holds on a slope and stops without pulling to one side |
| Horn and alarms | Audible from the ground during travel |
| Safety devices | Nothing taped over, tied back, disconnected or bypassed |
The single most important check on this list is the last one. A machine with a bypassed safety device can look perfectly normal, lift perfectly normally, and still be one mistake away from a serious incident.
Every month and every year
- Monthly: torque the wheel nuts and the structural fasteners, inspect the tyres for cuts and flat spots, check the battery electrolyte and terminals on lead acid machines, and test the emergency descent system.
- Quarterly: inspect the scissor arm pins and bushes for play, check the hydraulic hoses and fittings for weeping, and examine the rails or boom sections for damage.
- Annually: a full thorough examination by a competent person, covering the structure, the lifting system, the safety devices and the electrical system.
In most countries a periodic thorough examination of lifting equipment is a legal requirement, and the interval and the paperwork depend on local rules, so confirm what applies to your site.
Six things operators do that cause most faults
- Running a machine on a slope beyond the rated angle because “it is only for a minute”.
- Continuing to work with a warning light or an audible alarm that has been on since the start of the shift.
- Charging a battery in an unventilated area, or leaving a lead acid pack discharged over a weekend.
- Loading the platform right up to its rated capacity before adding two people and their tools.
- Working with the guardrail gate open, or reaching out beyond the platform edge instead of moving the machine.
- Using a machine that has just come back from repair without asking what was done to it.
Frequently asked questions
Who is allowed to do the pre-shift inspection?
The operator, using a written checklist, before the first lift of the shift. It takes about ten minutes and does not require tools beyond a tyre gauge. Anything found that cannot be resolved on the spot means the machine is taken out of service and tagged.
How often should an aerial platform be serviced?
Daily checks by the operator, a monthly inspection by your maintenance team, and a thorough examination annually by a competent person. In heavy use, shorten the monthly work rather than extending it.
What should be recorded?
Record the date, the machine, the operator, any defect found and what was done about it. A written record is what protects both the operator and the company if an incident is investigated, and it is also how you spot a machine that keeps developing the same fault.
Next step
If you want the checklist as a printable form for your own machines, send us the models you operate and we will prepare one. See the electric scissor lift, articulated boom lift and aluminium mast lift ranges for the safety equipment fitted as standard to each.