Forklift daily pre-use inspection checklist
A printable pre-use check for a powered industrial truck — engine off, then engine running — with the one rule that makes it worth doing: a defect takes the truck out of service, not onto a list.
Regulatory status The daily examination IS required by OSHA for powered industrial trucks. This particular form is not — no standard prescribes a format.
Under 29 CFR 1910.178(q)(7), a powered industrial truck must be examined before being placed in service and at least daily — and after each shift where trucks are used round the clock. The same paragraph says the truck must not be placed in service if the examination shows any condition adversely affecting its safety.
The requirement attaches to the examination, not to the paperwork. OSHA does not prescribe this form or any other. What a written record gives you is the ability to show the examination happened, and to see the same fault recurring on the same truck.
Type into the form below, then print — what you enter prints with it. Or print it blank and fill it in by hand. Nothing you type is saved, sent to EHSTEC, or stored on this device; refresh the page and it is gone.
Forklift daily pre-use inspection
1 · Identification
2 · Checks
| Item | OK | Defect | N/A | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before you start it — engine off | ||||
| Tyres: no cuts, gouges, missing chunks; correct pressure if pneumatic | ||||
| Forks: no cracks, bends or excessive heel wear; locking pins in place | ||||
| Mast, chains and rollers: no damage, chains evenly tensioned and lubricated | ||||
| Hydraulic hoses, cylinders and fittings: no leaks, chafing or damage | ||||
| Overhead guard: secure, no cracks or missing fasteners | ||||
| Load backrest extension: fitted and secure | ||||
| Capacity data plate: present and legible | ||||
| Seat and seat belt or operator restraint: present and functional | ||||
| Fluid levels: engine oil, coolant, hydraulic fluid | ||||
| Battery (electric): connections tight, no corrosion, restraint in place | ||||
| LPG tank (if fitted): secure, fittings sound, no smell of gas | ||||
| Warning decals and labels: present and legible | ||||
| No leaks or debris under the truck | ||||
| With the engine running | ||||
| Horn sounds | ||||
| Lights: head, tail and warning beacon or strobe | ||||
| Service brake holds | ||||
| Parking brake holds on a grade | ||||
| Steering: full travel, no excessive play | ||||
| Lift, lower and tilt controls operate smoothly | ||||
| Attachment controls (if fitted) operate correctly | ||||
| Reverse or travel alarm sounds | ||||
| Gauges and warning lights read normally | ||||
| No unusual noise, smoke or smell | ||||
| Operator presence or restraint interlock (if fitted) works | ||||
3 · Defects and sign-off
Any defect found above:
Forklift daily pre-use inspection checklist — ehstec.com/resources/forklift-daily-inspection-checklist · Published 23 September 2026. The daily examination is required by 1910.178(q)(7); this form is not prescribed. Customize before use, and check it against your own trucks and attachments.
How to use it
- Look before you start it. The engine-off checks come first for a reason: a cracked fork or a chafed hose is easier to see, and safer to find, on a truck that is not running.
- Do it once per shift, not once per day, if the truck runs round the clock. 1910.178(q)(7) says after each shift in that case.
- Mark every row. A blank is ambiguous between checked-and-fine, not looked at, and not applicable.
- A defect means the keys come out. See below — this is the part people get wrong.
- Keep the sheets. The same fault appearing on the same truck three weeks running is information you only have if you kept the paper.
A defect takes the truck out of service
This is the rule the checklist exists to enforce
1910.178(p)(1) is direct: if a truck is found to be in need of repair, defective, or in any way unsafe, it is taken out of service until it has been restored to safe operating condition. Not noted. Not scheduled. Out of service.
A pre-use check that records defects and leaves the truck working is worse than no check at all, because it documents that somebody knew. Tag it, take the key, and tell whoever can fix it — which is why those three fields sit together on the sign-off block.
What this checklist does not do
- It is not operator training. 1910.178(l) requires formal instruction, practical training, and an evaluation of each operator in the workplace, with refresher training and a three-yearly evaluation. Completing a pre-use check says nothing about whether the person doing it is trained or authorised.
- It is generic and must be customised. Your trucks, attachments, fuel types and manufacturer's instructions differ. The manufacturer's operating manual takes precedence over any list on the internet, including this one.
- It does not cover every truck class. Order pickers, reach trucks, rough-terrain trucks and tow tractors each have checks this list does not include.
- Completing it does not establish compliance. It records one examination of one truck at one time.
Sources
- OSHA — 1910.178(q)(7) — trucks examined before being placed in service and at least daily, after each shift where used round the clock
- OSHA — 1910.178(p)(1) — a truck in need of repair or in any way unsafe is taken out of service
- OSHA — 1910.178(l) — operator training, evaluation and refresher requirements
- OSHA — Powered Industrial Trucks — Safety and Health Topics
This is a checklist, not legal advice
Nothing here is endorsed, approved or reviewed by OSHA, and completing a pre-use check does not make an employer compliant with 1910.178 or anything else. Which checks apply to your trucks comes from the manufacturer's manual and the standards that apply to you. See our editorial standards for how this content is written and reviewed.
Running pre-use checks in EHSTEC
A vehicle and equipment pre-use inspection ships in EHSTEC's form library with the same three parts — identification, walkaround checks, defects and sign-off. In the platform the check is scheduled against the truck as an asset rather than against someone's memory, a defect becomes a corrective action with an owner and a due date, and the truck's history stays attached to the truck, so the fault that keeps coming back is visible. See how equipment inspections work in EHSTEC.