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Inspection template in the LeanSuite app

Last reviewed

Scissor lift pre-use inspection checklist

A scissor lift pre-use inspection is done by the operator before the first use each day: a walk-around, a function test of both control stations, and the conditions for use. The 14 questions include emergency lowering, the tilt sensor, the load capacity plate and overhead hazards on the route. Record the lift ID and hour meter so defects and hours stay with the machine.

The operator does it before first use each day, with the lift ID and hour meter, following the maker's manual for anything model specific. What a failure looks like: a lift used with the entry gate tied open, a tilt alarm that stays silent on a slope, an emergency lowering valve nobody knows how to find, or a lift driven raised under a sprinkler pipe. A lift that fails stays parked and tagged until it is repaired.

What it is for, as built: Daily pre-use inspection of a scissor lift or mobile elevating work platform.

Use this template in LeanSuite

The full question list

The 14 questions in the inspection

Every question is answered Yes, No or N/A. Each No is flagged and asks for a photo and a comment, so the finding arrives with its evidence.

Walk-around

  1. 1There is no visible damage, leak or missing part
  2. 2Tyres and wheels are in good condition
  3. 3Guardrails, gate and toe boards are in place and secure
  4. 4The platform floor is clean and slip-resistant
  5. 5Decals and the load capacity plate are readable

Function test

  1. 6The platform controls work and return to neutral when released
  2. 7The ground controls and emergency lowering work
  3. 8The emergency stop works at both control stations
  4. 9Alarms, lights and the tilt sensor work
  5. 10Outriggers or stabilisers work, if fitted

Before use

  1. 11The operator is trained and authorised
  2. 12Harness and lanyard are used where required
  3. 13The ground is firm and level and the route is clear of overhead hazards
  4. 14The battery or fuel level is sufficient

Worked example, illustrative

A filled-in example

One section as it might be filled in on the floor, with every other section of the inspection answered Yes. The place and finding are made up to show how the inspection reads and scores.

Result: pass, 92.3% against a pass mark of 90

  • 14 questions, 1 answered N/A, so 13 count.
  • 1 answered No, so 12 of 13 are Yes: 12 ÷ 13 = 92.3%.
  • 92.3% is at or above 90, so the inspection passes. The No still needs its fix.

What happened next: Lift lowered, parked and tagged. Maintenance replaced the tilt sensor the next day and tested it on the same ramp.

Scored here as one point per question with N/A left out. In the app each answer carries the points set on the template, so change them after you clone it if your plant weighs some checks more.

Scissor Lift Pre-Use Inspection

Inspection, daily

Lift ID
Lift SL-02
Hour meter reading
1,236

Function test

  1. The platform controls work and return to neutral when releasedYes
  2. The ground controls and emergency lowering workYes
  3. The emergency stop works at both control stationsYes
  4. Alarms, lights and the tilt sensor workNo

    Comment: Tilt alarm did not sound when the platform was raised on the ramp outside door 4. Lights and the ground alarm worked. No outriggers on this model.

    Photo attached to the No

  5. Outriggers or stabilisers work, if fittedN/A
Drawn from this template's own questions, not a screenshot of the app. Illustrative answers.

When to use it

  • Every day, before first use or at the start of the shift.
  • The person responsible for the area or equipment answers each question on the spot.
  • Each record starts with: Lift ID, Hour meter reading.

How it is scored

The template is built with points per answer and a pass mark of 90. In this library every audit is set to pass at 80 and every inspection at 90. Each submitted inspection shows its score and pass or fail, and every No is flagged with its photo and comment.

Change the points or the pass mark after you clone it. How rules and scoring work.

Read and print

More in safety inspections and audits

All safety inspections and audits templates

FAQ

Scissor lift pre-use inspection checklist: common questions

  1. Before the first use each day, with the lift ID and hour meter so defects stay with the machine. Do it again after a repair, after the lift is moved to a new site or floor, after any tilt alarm or overload, after a knock against a structure, and when a different operator takes it over during the day.

  2. A trained and authorised operator does it, following the maker's manual for anything model specific, such as where the emergency lowering valve sits and how to test the tilt sensor. They need to know the load capacity and the overhead hazards on the route. A defect goes to the supervisor or maintenance lead, who keeps the lift parked until it has been repaired.

  3. A fail means the lift could drop, tip or trap someone: a tilt alarm that stays silent, an emergency stop that does nothing at one station, a gate that will not latch or a battery that will run out at height. Lower the platform, park it, tag it and keep the key until it has been repaired. In this template every No is flagged and asks for a photo and a comment, and an inspection that scores under its pass mark of 90 is a fail.

  4. Keep the lift ID, hour meter, operator, date and each defect, with photos of damage and of any decal or capacity plate that has worn off. Keep the repair that closed each No and the date the lift went back into service. Hours against defects show which lifts need the maker's service visit early. In LeanSuite each submitted inspection is stored with its score, its pass or fail, and the photo and comment on every No.

  5. 14 questions in 3 sections: walk-around, function test and before use. Every question is answered Yes, No or N/A.

Use this template in LeanSuite

It is ready in the Template Marketplace inside Lean Creator as “Scissor Lift Pre-Use Inspection”. Clone it into your plant, change any question, then schedule it to a person, role or asset with reminders. Auditors complete it on a phone or tablet, with photo evidence where required.

Not on LeanSuite yet? On a 90-day pilot our team sets up your account and digitizes the forms and checklists you use today, this one included.

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