Free Pre-Start Checklist (Truck EWP) Template

Purpose of the Free Pre-Start Checklist (Truck EWP) Template

Operating a truck-mounted Elevating Work Platform (EWP) involves significant risks, primarily related to falls from height, structural failure, and instability. A systematic pre-start inspection is a fundamental safety practice designed to identify potential faults before the equipment is used.

This Free Pre-Start Checklist (Truck EWP) Template provides a structured format for operators to conduct thorough daily checks, ensuring the machinery is in safe working order. Using this checklist helps your organisation document due diligence, prevent incidents, and maintain a proactive safety culture.

It serves as a formal record that critical safety components—such as hydraulic systems, controls, stabilisers, and structural integrity—have been visually inspected and functionally tested before commencing work.

Integrating these daily checks into a broader WHS management system ensures they are consistently performed and recorded, creating a clear audit trail. A well-executed pre-start check is a critical control measure that directly supports the primary duty of care for a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) to provide and maintain safe plant and structures.

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

This template is designed for straightforward use by competent operators at the start of each shift. The process is simple: the operator systematically works through the list, visually inspecting each component and testing its function where applicable.

Each item is marked as satisfactory or unsatisfactory, with space provided for comments to detail any identified faults or observations. If any item is deemed unsatisfactory, particularly a critical safety feature, the EWP must not be used.

The fault should be documented on the checklist, and the equipment should be isolated, tagged out of service, and reported to a supervisor or the maintenance department immediately.

This pre-start checklist is a key part of your overall risk management process, which often begins with a Safe Work Method Statement for Truck Operation to outline the controls for high-risk tasks. The daily check then verifies that the primary piece of equipment is safe to use for that work.

Completed checklists should be collected and reviewed by supervisors to supports your compliance efforts and identify any recurring issues that may indicate a need for more comprehensive maintenance or operator retraining.

Important: This document is a template and must be customised to your specific workplace. We have provided a structured starting point aligned with Australian WHS practice, but you must add, remove, or modify checks to suit the exact make and model of your truck-mounted EWP, your site conditions, and your operational risks.

Always refer to the manufacturer’s operating manual for specific inspection requirements.

When to use this Pre-Start Checklist

The pre-start inspection should be carried out at the beginning of every shift before the truck-mounted EWP is first used. This ensures that the equipment's condition has not changed overnight or between shifts. Additionally, a pre-start check is recommended in the following situations:

• After the EWP has been idle for an extended period.
• Following any significant repairs, maintenance, or modifications.
• If the EWP has been transported to a new site.
• Before it is used by an operator who did not use it on the previous shift.

Regular inspections are fundamental to equipment safety, a principle reinforced in our Pre-Start Checks and Plant Maintenance Toolbox Talk. Consistent use of the checklist embeds safety as a non-negotiable part of the daily routine.

Who should use this Pre-Start Checklist

This checklist should be completed by the person who will be operating the truck-mounted EWP. The operator must be trained, licensed (where required), and deemed competent to both operate the machinery and understand the importance of each checkpoint.

Before using the equipment, ensuring the operator is deemed competent is crucial. You can formalise this assessment using a Verification of Competency for a Truck-Mounted Cherry Picker, which verifies their skills and knowledge.

Supervisors and managers also have a role. They are responsible for ensuring operators are completing the checks correctly and for taking appropriate action when faults are reported.

Maintenance personnel will use the information from completed checklists to schedule repairs and preventative maintenance. Periodic WHS compliance auditing can verify that your procedures, including pre-start checks, are being followed correctly across all teams.

You can find more templates to support your safety processes by browsing our complete free WHS resources library, which covers a wide range of plant and equipment.