All About Your Forklift Inspection Checklist

Does your forklift get inspected on a daily basis? It should. According to OSHA, all forklifts should be part of a regular maintenance program. Forklift inspection checklists are a critical part of not just maintenance, but for worker safety as well. Without proper documentation of a forklift’s condition and maintenance, accidents are much more likely to happen. Forklift inspection checklists are vitally important for your company – including your most important assets, your employees! ForkliftCertification.com (FLC), the leader in online, OSHA-approved forklift certification and training, knows the importance of OSHA forklift inspection requirements and daily forklift inspection checklists. In this article, you’ll learn about OSHA guidelines regarding forklift daily inspection checklists, how long to keep your daily forklift inspection checklists, how to fill out forklift inspection checklist forms, and much more.

A CLOSER LOOK AT OSHA FORKLIFT INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS

According to OSHA guideline 29 CFR 1910.178 (q) (7), all forklifts should be examined at least once a day before use. This applies to a wide range of industrial settings, including:

• Shipyards
• Warehouses
• Distribution centers
• Construction sites

Here’s the actual wording of 29 CFR 1910.178 (q) (7). Note the emphasis on forklifts that operate within a 24-hour shift: Industrial trucks shall be examined before being placed in service, and shall not be placed in service if the examination shows any condition adversely affecting the safety of the vehicle. Such examination shall be made at least daily. Where industrial trucks are used on a round-the-clock basis, they shall be examined after each shift. Defects, when found, shall be immediately reported and corrected. Forklifts that aren’t given maintenance attention are more likely to fail while in operation. That’s the main driving force behind 29 CFR 1910.178 (q) (7) and many other OSHA forklift inspection requirements. The OSHA Powered Industrial Truck Pre-Operation eTool reviews critical safety concepts behind daily forklift inspections, and this includes forklift daily checklists. Some of the items that should be a part of your company’s forklift inspection checklist include:

• Fork condition
• Safety devices like finger guards, decals, etc.
• Visible fluid leaks
• Operator compartment
• Tire and wheel condition
• Battery restraints
• Cables and connectors

We also created a helpful forklift inspection checklist to assist with your company’s OSHA forklift inspection requirements. This informative infographic will help you and your maintenance personnel ensure every forklift is working properly and is ready to perform as intended. For more information, be sure to check out our daily forklift inspection infographic below. Our infographic and interactive display (below) provide helpful visual context for everything related to daily forklift inspection checklists, including maintenance and inspection categories, what to inspect on your forklifts, and more. Keep reading to learn more about this important part of OSHA forklift safety! 

THE NEED FOR FORKLIFT DAILY CHECKLISTS

Forklift daily inspection sheets are must-have for businesses that require workers to use forklifts. These sheets allow workers to perform a full review of a forklift and track their results over time. A forklift daily inspection sheet is vital for forklift operators and their employers. The sheet makes it easy for a forklift operator to track issues identified during an equipment review. Meanwhile, the sheet allows a business to monitor forklift issues and address them before they escalate.

FORKLIFT INSPECTION CHECKLIST – EXAMPLE

To help you and your employees better visualize what’s involved with OSHA forklift inspection requirements, we created the following infographic, followed by support text, to outline the specifics of a typical forklift daily checklist.

FORKLIFT DAILY INSPECTION CHECKLIST — VISUAL PRE-CHECK

The first step in a proper forklift inspection involves a cut-no-corners approach to how the forklift appears. If it doesn’t pass the eyeball test, address any issues immediately.

✓ Obstructions

Ensure the floor is clear of debris, overhead impediments are removed and nearby objects are removed from the operating area.

✓ Mechanical Inspection

Check the engine oil level and also look for any cracked or loose hoses.

✓ Safety Items

Early warning systems like the horn, alarms, fire extinguisher and lights should be fully operational.

✓ Harnesses

Ensure the seatbelt or other restraint mechanisms are intact.

FORKLIFT DAILY INSPECTION CHECKLIST — OPERATIONAL PRE-CHECK

Once the visual pre-check is complete, your forklift should pass the following operational pre-use inspection:

✓ Brakes

Test the parking brake, regular brakes, and other stopping systems.

✓ Cargo Handling

The forks, lift mechanism, tilt function, and related functions should perform error-free

✓ Cockpit Controls

If any steering or control panel issues are present, do not operate the forklift.

✓ Audio Check

Listen for any unexpected sounds during the operational pre-check. Common systems to listen for include the transmission, leaky hoses (hissing sounds) and other “weird” noises.

✓ Lights and Alarms

Even if your visual pre-check found no problems with lights and alarms, it is recommended to test the same functions during a test drive.

DAILY FORKLIFT INSPECTION CHECKLIST – INSPECTION POINTS

Now that you have a better understanding of OSHA forklift inspection requirements, it’s time for an interactive experience – simply click on the different parts of the forklift below to learn more about each inspection point on your daily forklift inspection checklist.

IMPORTANCE OF FORKLIFT DAILY INSPECTION CHECKLISTS

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)’s recent study, more than 1,000 workers died in forklift-related incidents. Of these fatalities, the most common were:

• 22%: Forklift Overturns
• 20%: Workers on foot struck by a forklift
• 9%: Fall from a forklift

These issues can be reduced or eliminated if a forklift is inspected before use. Key areas to focus during a forklift inspection include the tires, safety indicators (lights, alarms, etc.), and safety harnesses. In addition to our own infographic, OSHA has published a valuable online resource, Sample Daily Checklists for Powered Industrial Trucks, which contains a thorough forklift inspection checklist for maintenance personnel and forklift drivers. This checklist ties in directly to 29 CFR 1910.178 (q) (7), and is recommended as a go-to OSHA forklift inspection requirements check for any forklift maintenance crew.

FAQs FOR FORKLIFT INSPECTION CHECKLISTS

ARE FORKLIFT INSPECTION CHECKLISTS REQUIRED? 

Per OSHA, part of forklift maintenance involves daily inspections. If your lift currently doesn’t receive daily inspections, or you’re not sure about OSHA forklift inspection requirements, you should notify your supervisor immediately. The absence of a forklift maintenance plan and daily forklift inspections could mean huge penalties and fines down the line.

HOW DO I FILL OUT FORKLIFT INSPECTION CHECKLISTS?

Your company can decide how its forklift operators complete a daily inspection checklist. Ultimately, a business that lets its workers use forklifts on a daily basis must track daily inspections of these machines. With handwritten or electronic checklists, your business can ensure that its forklift operators are performing the necessary reviews before they start using a machine. Then, you can collect these checklists, review them, and ensure that your business complies with OSHA requirements.

HOW LONG SHOULD FORKLIFT INSPECTION CHECKLISTS BE RETAINED?

Forklift daily inspection sheets should be retained for at least one year, according to OSHA regulations. With these sheets at your disposal, you can provide them to OSHA upon request — without having to worry about violating the agency’s forklift daily inspection sheet reporting mandates.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF DAILY FORKLIFT INSPECTION CHECKLISTS?

There are many reasons that OSHA requires daily forklift inspections. A forklift inspection checklist will help prevent accidents, and it also helps set safety standards for your entire company. And remember – OSHA requires lift inspections every day. A forklift daily checklist is a great way to keep on track with OSHA compliance, your company’s safety plan, and — most importantly — promote a safer, more productive work environment.

WE’LL TEACH YOU OSHA FORKLIFT INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS

With our online knowledge base and OSHA-provided guidelines, you can improve your forklift daily inspections right away! But remember, nothing beats forklift certification — and our training is a great way to obtain OSHA compliance easily and affordably! The OSHA compliance experts at ForkliftCertification.com know all about the importance of having a forklift daily checklist. Our training modules cover all of the required OSHA regulations, including rules involving forklift maintenance. If you aren’t quite up to speed with your forklift safety, or you need a refresher with the most complete training online, sign up today. We’ll get you on the fast track to OSHA compliance. That’s great news for all of your forklift operators that need safety training…and that’s great news for your company’s safety program, too! ForkliftCertification.com offers three different training packages for anyone that needs to achieve OSHA compliance or wants to become the most efficient, safety-minded forklift driver possible. To learn more or to enroll your workers in one of our training programs, please contact us online or call us today at (888) 278-8896.