A pre-use inspection is a quick check of equipment, vehicles or tools by the user before each use or shift to find defects before they cause an incident.
A pre-use inspection, also called a pre-start, pre-shift or pre-operation check, is a quick, structured examination of equipment by the person who is about to use it. Using a checklist, the operator looks for visible damage, leaks, missing guards and labels, and confirms that controls, brakes, alarms and safety devices work. If a defect affecting safety is found, the equipment is tagged out of service until it is repaired.
Pre-use inspections apply to forklifts, aerial lifts, cranes, vehicles, ladders, harnesses, power tools, rigging and many other items. They complement, but don't replace, periodic inspections by competent people and preventive maintenance.
At the start of shift, a forklift operator runs through the daily checklist and finds the horn doesn't work. He tags the truck out of service in the inspection app, which notifies maintenance, and takes a different truck.
The person who will operate or use the equipment, after training on what to check. Some equipment also requires periodic inspections by a competent or qualified person.
OSHA doesn't always require written records, but documenting them is best practice and is often required by company policy, client contracts or specific standards.
Stop, tag the equipment out of service, report the defect and use alternative equipment until it is repaired and returned to service.
Part of SafetyIQ's EHS glossary: plain-English definitions of workplace health and safety terms.
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