A forklift daily check is the pre-use inspection the operator carries out at the start of each shift. It covers tyres, forks, chains, fluid levels or battery, brakes, steering, hydraulics, horn, lights and mirrors. HSE's guidance says the results should be documented and defects reported to a supervisor. It is separate from the thorough examination required by LOLER.
On this page
What the daily check is
It is a short inspection of the truck by the person about to drive it. HSE's guidance for lift trucks, Rider-operated lift trucks: Operator training and safe use (L117), says that at the beginning of each shift the operator should check the truck in accordance with the vehicle handbook, document the results, and report to the supervisor any defect that might affect safe operation.
Three points follow from that wording:
- It is each shift, not each day. A truck used on two shifts gets two checks, because each operator needs to know the state of the truck they are about to use. "Daily check" and "pre-shift check" mean the same thing where there is one shift.
- The handbook comes first. The list on this page follows HSE's guidance. Your truck's handbook may add items, and where it does, add them.
- The operator does it. HSE's list of what basic operator training should cover includes pre-shift checks, and carrying one out is among the skills it lists for the operator's test.
What the law requires
No regulation uses the words "daily check". The duty behind it is regulation 5 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER): every employer must make sure work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.
HSE's guidance says how that is met for a lift truck. You should have:
- a documented pre-shift check;
- a system for reporting defects and making sure the repair is carried out;
- a planned routine maintenance system;
- a periodic thorough examination and regular safety inspection.
HSE's wider guidance on work equipment puts it this way: lift trucks should be maintained at all times for safety, with parts such as brakes and lights inspected at regular intervals, "including essential daily pre-use checks".
So the check itself is HSE guidance on how to meet a legal duty. Operators must also be trained, which is a requirement of PUWER regulation 9. Our guide to how long training certificates last covers forklift refresher training.
Forklift daily checklist
Each line is written so that "yes" means the truck is fit to use. Work through the three stages in order. The items follow the list in HSE's guidance (L117), with operator restraints and warning lights added.
Before starting: walk round with the power off
- There is no new damage to the truck
- Tyres have no cuts, bubbles, nails, swarf or other embedded material, including on the side walls
- Pneumatic tyres are at the correct pressure
- Wheels and rims are undamaged
- Wheel nuts are all present and tight
- Forks have no cracks, in particular at the heels and mounting hooks
- Fork tips are not bent or damaged
- Fork positioning locks are in place and working
- Lift chains have no damaged or stretched links and are lubricated
- Chain anchor pins and fixing bolts are secure
- The overhead guard is secure and undamaged
- The load backrest extension is secure and undamaged
- There are no hydraulic leaks on the mast, hoses or cylinders, or on the floor under the truck
- Hydraulic fluid is at the correct level with the forks lowered
- On engine trucks, fuel, water, engine oil and transmission oil are at the correct levels
- On battery trucks, the battery is adequately charged and shows no leaks
- On battery trucks, the charger is switched off and the charge lead is disconnected and stored
- On battery trucks, the battery retention device is in place
With the power on: before moving
- The horn works
- All lights work
- Any reversing alarm or beacon works
- Mirrors and other visibility aids are clean, undamaged and correctly set
- The seat is secure, and the seat belt or other operator restraint works and is undamaged
- No warning light or gauge is showing a fault
Operational checks: in a clear area
- The parking brake holds the truck
- The service brakes stop the truck efficiently
- The steering works efficiently and responds as it should
- The forks lift and lower properly through their travel
- The mast tilts properly forwards and back
- Sideshift and any attachment work properly
- There are no unusual noises from the engine, motor, mast or hydraulics
Tyres get a second, weekly look. HSE's guidance is to inspect all tyres for damage daily and to check the pressures on pneumatic tyres weekly, or more often if there is any sign of deflation. Pressures should be kept at the manufacturer's figure, because low pressure can make the truck unstable.
What to do on finding a defect
HSE's guidance is in two parts. Any defect found should be reported, and if it is safety critical the truck should not be used until the fault is rectified. Its warehousing guidance (HSG76) gives brakes and steering as examples of safety critical items.
- Do not use the truck. If the fault affects brakes, steering, forks, chains, tyres, hydraulics or warning devices, the truck stays parked.
- Report it straight away. Tell the supervisor and write it on the check sheet.
- Stop anyone else using it. HSE says you should have a system to prevent the truck being used until the fault is put right. Taking the key and tagging the truck is the usual way.
- Leave the repair to the right person. HSE's guidance is that operators should not carry out repairs or adjustments unless they are suitably qualified and authorised.
- Close it off. Record what was done and by whom before the truck goes back into use.
A minor defect that does not affect safety, such as a torn seat cover, is still reported, with a date for the repair.
How the daily check differs from a thorough examination
They are different things, done by different people. HSE states that regular inspections carried out as part of a maintenance scheme or scheduled service are not a thorough examination.
| Daily check | Planned maintenance | Thorough examination | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who | The operator | A trained maintenance engineer | A competent person, independent enough to make an objective decision |
| When | Start of each shift | To the manufacturer's schedule, usually by hours run | At least every 12 months, or every 6 months for trucks and attachments used to lift people, or as an examination scheme sets out |
| Basis | HSE guidance on meeting PUWER regulation 5 | PUWER regulation 5 | LOLER regulation 9 |
| Record | Documented by the operator | No legal requirement for a log, but one that exists must be kept up to date | A written report, which must be kept |
The thorough examination comes from regulation 9 of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER). Lifting equipment exposed to conditions that cause deterioration must be thoroughly examined at least every 12 months, or at least every 6 months if it is used for lifting people or is a lifting accessory, or in line with an examination scheme drawn up by a competent person. It must also be examined after exceptional circumstances that could affect its safety.
On a lift truck, HSE's guidance says the parts covered are the lifting parts: the mast, chains, carriage, forks and tilt mechanism. HSE describes the thorough examination as similar to an MOT for a car, done in addition to regular servicing. The person who does it must give you a written report. Under LOLER regulation 11, the report of a periodic examination must be kept until the next report is made or for two years, whichever is later.
If you hire the truck, HSE's guidance is that you and the hire company should agree who arranges maintenance and thorough examination, and that a copy of the last examination report must accompany the truck.
What to record
HSE's guidance says the pre-shift check should be documented. A check sheet or its electronic equivalent for each truck is enough. Record:
- the truck's fleet number or registration;
- the date and shift;
- the operator's name;
- the hour meter reading, if the truck has one;
- the result for each item;
- any defect, who it was reported to and what was done.
HSE's warehousing guidance says defect reports should be retained until the next thorough examination. The checks are also evidence that the truck was fit for use at the start of the shift if it is later involved in an incident.
Trucks and racking damage each other. If you run both, the weekly racking inspection checklist belongs alongside this one. The PUWER inspection checklist covers your other work equipment.
Keeping it in SafetyPro360
The checklist above can be set up in SafetyPro360 as a checklist of your own, with each line as a question. The operator runs it on a phone at the truck before the shift starts. Each completed check is kept with its date, who did it and its score. Thorough examination is still carried out by your competent person, and their report is theirs to issue.
Questions people ask
Is a forklift daily check a legal requirement?
No regulation names it. PUWER regulation 5 requires work equipment to be maintained in efficient working order and good repair, and HSE's guidance for lift trucks says the way to meet that includes a documented check by the operator at the beginning of each shift. An employer who does not do one would have to show how else the duty is being met.
Who should carry out the forklift pre-use check?
The operator who is about to use the truck, at the start of their shift. HSE's guidance on operator training includes pre-shift checks in what basic training should cover, and carrying one out is among the skills it lists for testing. A truck used on more than one shift should be checked by each operator who takes it over.
How often does a forklift need a thorough examination?
Under LOLER regulation 9, at least every 12 months for the lifting parts of a lift truck, and at least every 6 months for trucks and attachments used to lift people, unless a competent person has drawn up an examination scheme with different intervals. It must be done by a competent person who issues a written report.
What should happen if the daily check finds a fault?
The operator reports it to the supervisor and records it. HSE's guidance is that if the defect is safety critical, such as brakes or steering, the truck should not be used until it is put right, and that you should have a system to prevent it being used in the meantime. Operators should not attempt repairs unless qualified and authorised.
Do forklift daily checks need to be recorded?
HSE's guidance says the operator should document the results of the check at the beginning of each shift, and that defect reports should be retained until the next thorough examination. A paper sheet or an electronic record for each truck, showing the date, the operator, the result for each item and any defect, is enough.
Is a service the same as a thorough examination?
No. HSE states that regular inspections as part of a maintenance scheme or scheduled service are not a thorough examination. A service keeps the truck running to the manufacturer's schedule. A thorough examination is a separate legal inspection of the lifting parts under LOLER, carried out by a competent person who issues a written report.
Where this comes from
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, regulation 5 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, regulation 9 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, regulation 11 (legislation.gov.uk)
- HSE: Rider-operated lift trucks, operator training and safe use (L117)
- HSE: Lift trucks, thorough examination
- HSE: Thorough examinations and inspections of lifting equipment
- HSE: Equipment and machinery frequently asked questions
- HSE: Warehousing and storage, a guide to health and safety (HSG76)
This guide is general information for small employers in Great Britain, checked against the sources above on the date shown. It is not legal advice. If something serious depends on it, check the source or ask a competent adviser.