Mines (trackless mobile machinery)Contract miningFleet

Heavy Equipment Pre-Start Checklist (Excavator, Dump Truck, Loader)

A shift-start check for excavators, dump trucks, front-end loaders and other trackless mobile machinery. The walk-around is done with the machine parked and isolated, then the operator tests the functions before work starts.

At the start of every shift, before the machine moves · 30 checks · free printable PDF

Aerial view of dump trucks, excavators, a dozer and a screening plant on an earthworks site

What the checklist covers

Walk-around (machine parked and isolated)

Parked on level ground, attachment lowered, park brake on
Defects from the previous shift repaired and signed off
Bucket, teeth and cutting edges secure and not worn through
Boom, stick and arms free of cracks; pins and retainers in place
Hydraulic hoses, fittings and cylinders free of leaks and chafing
Tracked: track tension, pads, rollers and idlers
Wheeled: tyres and rims free of cuts and damage; wheel nuts secure
Steps, handrails and grab handles secure and clean
Engine oil, hydraulic oil, coolant, transmission oil and fuel levels
No fluid leaks under the machine
Air filter restriction indicator in the green
Belts and guards in place
Fire suppression system charged, nozzles clear, actuators accessible (where fitted)
Fire extinguisher present and within its service date
Cab glass, mirrors and cameras clean and undamaged
Battery isolator and emergency stop accessible

Start-up and function checks

Gauges normal and no warning lights after start-up
Horn and reverse alarm
Lights and flashing beacon
Collision avoidance or proximity detection system working (where fitted)
Two-way radio working
Seatbelt working
Service brake and park brake hold
Steering responds normally
All hydraulic functions smooth with no drift
Excavator: swing brake and swing lock work
Dump truck: body lowers fully; body-up warning works
Emergency stop shuts the machine down

Outcome

Machine safe to operate
Any defect reported, and the machine tagged out until repaired and signed off

How to use this checklist

1Park the machine on level ground, lower attachments, apply the park brake and isolate it before the walk-around.
2Work around the machine in the same order every shift so nothing is skipped.
3Start up and test brakes, steering, lights, alarms, the proximity detection system and the fire suppression indicator from the cab.
4Mark every item OK, Defect or N/A, record the hour meter and sign the outcome.
5A machine with a safety defect does not move. Report it to the supervisor or the workshop and record who accepted the report.

A general guide. Add your manufacturer's checks and your site's own standards, and follow your site's procedures for reporting and isolating defective equipment. On a mine, check it against the mine's code of practice for trackless mobile machinery.

Convert this checklist into a digital form

Run it on an Android phone with no signal, attach photos as evidence, and every failed item raises an issue with an owner and a due date.

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Paper finds the defect. Then what?

On paper, a ticked "Defect" box often stays a ticked box. In Inspecable the same checklist keeps going after it is signed:

Run the checklist on an Android phone with no signal; it syncs when the crew is back in range.
A failed item raises an issue with an owner and a due date.
A corrective action cannot close without evidence and a signature.
Every completed inspection produces a signed PDF with its photos.

How the digital pre-start works

Questions

Which machines does this pre-start checklist cover?

Excavators, dump trucks, front-end loaders and other trackless mobile machinery on mines and quarries. Add the checks from each manufacturer's manual, and use a separate sheet per machine so defects are traceable to a fleet number.

Is a pre-start check required on a South African mine?

Mines manage trackless mobile machinery through their own code of practice under the Mine Health and Safety Act, and pre-use checks are a standard part of it. Use this checklist as a base and align it with your mine's code.

How long should a pre-start take?

Usually ten to fifteen minutes for a large machine, done properly. A check that takes two minutes is usually a check that was not done. Build the time into the shift start rather than expecting operators to rush it.

What do we do with the completed sheets?

The supervisor reviews them each shift, every defect becomes an action with an owner and a due date, and the sheets are kept per machine. That record shows the machine was checked and what was done about each defect.

Get the free printable PDF