Pre-use checks are a powerful first step in ensuring a safe and efficient lift truck operation.
While it’s easy for operators to feel pressed for time or fall into complacency, taking a few extra moments for a compliant pre-use check can make all the difference. It should not just be a box-ticking exercise. It should be a smart habit that protects people, productivity, and peace of mind.
What is a pre-use check?
A pre-use check, (also known as a pre-use inspection, pre-shift check, or daily check) is a legal requirement for lift truck operations. It enables operators, supervisors, and managers to find and identify any faults with a lift truck that could lead to damage or compromise safety if left unfixed. These could result in an incident or cause operation downtime.
What should a lift truck pre-use check include?
Not all pre-use checks are the same. The pre-use checks required for compliance will depend on the specific lift truck being used. Because different materials handling equipment has different parts, features, and functionalities.
However, most pre-use checks cover similar general areas. For example, prior to operating a lift truck, the operator should visually inspect and carry out functional tests on the general working parts of the truck that might show signs of wear or damage. This includes the mast and carriage, the chains and fixing bolts, the forks, the brakes, and the steering.
Other areas to check could include any faults from the previous shift, any obvious leaks, the hydraulic fluid level, and any illuminated warning lights.
How often is a pre-use check required?
To keep operations legally compliant, a lift truck operator must do a pre-use check before operating the lift truck. That could be at the start of their shift. Or ahead of a period of continuous use. But it must be done every time. Even if another operator has already used the lift truck or checked it earlier the same day.
Just imagine a lift truck operator at a busy 3PL operation who is in a rush to start their shift. They decide to skip the pre-use check for today and mount the machine. The truck was fine yesterday, so what could go wrong?
What they don’t realise, having skipped the inspection, is that there is a fault with the steering. It seems fine at first. But at a crucial moment, they lose control and end up colliding with a pedestrian in the warehouse. Causing serious, or even fatal, injury. Did you know every year 27 people are killed in lift truck accidents at work?
Who is responsible for pre-use checks?
Let’s be clear. Pre-use checks are necessary. A legal requirement. So acknowledging responsibility for pre-use checks is important.
Ultimately, it is the operator’s role to carry out their pre-use check before operating a lift truck However, every lifting operation involving a lift truck, must be supervised by a competent person according to Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER). So, the operation manager or supervisor also has a responsibility.
They must monitor and assess the operator not only during operation. But also, to ensure the operator conducts their pre-use inspection correctly. This is part of their responsibilities in line with guidance supplied in the Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) L117.
Managing and Supervising MHE Operations eLearning is one effective route to giving Managers and Supervisors the knowledge they need to meet this requirement.
How long should a pre-use check take?
A thorough, safety-driven pre-use check on a lift truck should be possible in around 10-15 minutes. This may sound like a significant time investment to managers of busy operations. However, it is minimal compared to the cost and disruption of an incident.
Picture a food manufacturing operation with strict time constraints. The production line must keep moving to avoid food spoilage, which would be costly to the business. Feeling the time pressure, the lift truck operator rushes through their pre-use check.
That means they miss an issue with the forks. This leads to a truck tip-over, injuring the operator and causing considerable damage to the truck, and the manufacturing equipment. Shutting down the whole operation for days for urgent repairs. A 15-minute pre-use check doesn’t seem such a long time now.
Instilling the importance of pre-use checks helps promote a culture of safety and consistency in the operation. This prevents accidents and maintains productivity. It also helps to uphold compliance with regulations.
Skipping a pre-use check – at what cost?
We’ve established it only takes around 15 minutes to do a pre-use check. But bypassing it could mean an incident occurs in a matter of seconds.
Pre-use checks should not be rushed. It is vital to ensure a thorough and comprehensive inspection is completed before operation. This small investment of minutes, can save lives, protect the supply chain, and uphold a company’s integrity. All while complying with legislation and HSE guidance.
Skipping or rushing checks could cost someone their life. It could cost your job – as an operator, manager, or supervisor. There is also the cost of damage to reputation for a business. Even if injury or death are avoided, there is the potential of expensive damage to equipment, infrastructure, product, and fittings. Not to mention the impact on productivity. And the potential thousands of pounds in fines should an investigation take place.
All that to save 15 minutes of time.
Training and resources to support pre-use checks
Pre-use checks must be covered in all lift truck training, so operators know what to look for and how to identify issues. To support consistency, pre-use test marking sheets help to standardise the inspection process for every operator in a business. And help to ensure no step is overlooked. However, remember that all checks should always be conducted in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Compliance with these requirements should be the first priority.
Having a sheet to physically tick off also helps to give the operator confidence in their inspections, and in their operation. Knowing they are going to work and will be safe.
What’s more, pre-use test marking sheets act as a handy record. They enable supervisors to hold operators to account. And allow the company to instil a culture of compliance, safety, and responsibility among its managers. It’s not just the operator’s job to make sure that a lift truck has been checked and considered safe to use.
Stock up on pre-use check sheets now at the RTITB Shop. These are also available as part of the online RTITB eLibrary – packed with training materials and other helpful resources.
Forklift operator training
Be confident that your lift truck operator training will cover compliant pre-use checks, in line with the most up to date guidance and legislation. Find local RTITB Accredited Training Providers now using our quick and easy Course Locator.
Author: Gavin Hutchinson, Head of Technical Services, RTITB
With over 25 years of dedicated experience in the logistics and warehousing sector, Gavin has a profound understanding of the logistics and transport industry’s intricate operations. For the past 23 years, he has been a registered and qualified RTITB lift truck instructor, imparting comprehensive operator and instructor training for countless individuals, ensuring the smooth and safe operation of machinery and equipping instructors with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively train others on lift truck operations. Gavin also has experience as an Auditor and Examiner. He has been with RTITB for 10 years and currently leads the RTITB Technical team to uphold the highest standards of safety and efficiency.
Find Gavin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-h-22478744/