Free Pre-Start Checklist (Harvester) Template

Purpose of the Free Pre-Start Checklist (Harvester) Template

Operating heavy agricultural machinery like harvesters involves significant safety risks, including entanglement, rollovers, and contact with moving parts. A key control to manage these risks is a thorough pre-start inspection.

Our Free Pre-Start Checklist (Harvester) Template provides a structured starting point for operators to systematically check their equipment before each use. This downloadable document helps formalise the inspection process, identify potential faults early, and ensure the machine is safe to operate, aligning with Australian WHS best practices.

Using this checklist consistently helps a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) meet their primary duty of care to provide and maintain safe plant and equipment. It creates a documented record of inspections, which is invaluable for maintenance scheduling, demonstrating due diligence, and investigating any incidents.

A documented pre-start process is a fundamental component of a comprehensive WHS management system, helping to embed a proactive safety culture within the organisation.

This checklist is designed to cover common inspection points for harvesters, such as guards, emergency stops, hydraulic systems, tyres, and operator controls. While it focuses on equipment condition, the overall task of operating heavy mobile plant should be guided by a broader risk assessment.

These assessments are often captured in documents like a Combine Harvester Safe Operating Procedure (SOP), which outlines the step-by-step process for performing the work safely.

How to use the Free Pre-Start Checklist (Harvester) Template

This resource is available as a DOCX file for easy customisation and a PDF for immediate printing and use. Download the template and adapt it to the specific requirements of your workplace and the machinery in use.

It is crucial to ensure the checklist reflects the unique features and hazards of your equipment.

Important: This template is a guide based on common harvester components and safety features. We have provided a comprehensive starting point, but you must review and adapt the checklist to include all unique features, attachments, and potential hazards relevant to your specific make and model of harvester, as well as your operational environment.

This ensures the check is relevant and effective. If you are unsure how to tailor this resource to meet your specific legal obligations, engaging with a specialist WHS consulting service can provide clarity and expert guidance.

When to use a Harvester Pre-Start Checklist

A pre-start check should be a non-negotiable routine. The checklist should be completed:

• Before the start of every shift or day of use.
• When changing operators during a shift.
• After the harvester has undergone significant maintenance or repairs.
• Before using the equipment for the first time after a long period of inactivity (e.g., at the beginning of a season).

Regular checks ensure that the equipment's condition has not deteriorated since its last use and that it remains safe to operate. This simple habit can prevent catastrophic failures and serious injuries.

Who should use it

The pre-start check must be completed by a worker who is competent to operate the harvester. Competency involves more than just knowing how to drive the machine; it includes the training and knowledge required to identify hazards and understand the function of all safety-critical components.

Regular training, supported by tools like a Pre-Start Checks and Plant Maintenance toolbox talk, reinforces the importance and correct method for conducting these inspections.

Supervisors and managers also have a role. They should ensure operators are completing the checks correctly and consistently.

They must also review completed checklists to identify recurring mechanical issues or patterns of damage that may indicate a need for revised procedures or further investigation. Completed checklists are valuable records that can be reviewed during internal or external WHS compliance audits to verify that safety procedures are being followed effectively. For more templates and safety documents, you can explore our full free WHS resources library.