Classic form
Forklift pre start checklist that stops the shift on a fault
A forklift pre start checklist covers the forks, pins, mast and chains, hoses, tyres, fuel or battery, seatbelt and guard, then the horn, lights, alarm, brakes and controls from the seat. This warehouse version holds fifteen items, records the licence number and emails every completed check to the shift lead.
The form itself
A static copy of the finished form, exactly as it renders. Nothing here can be filled in or submitted, so read it as a reference and build your own from the button above.
Every field, and what it collects
The complete field list, in the order respondents meet it.
- Forklift unitDropdownRequired
- Options: FL-1 counterbalance, LPG · FL-2 counterbalance, electric · FL-3 reach truck · FL-4 counterbalance, diesel, yard
- Hour meterNumberRequired
- Fifteen item pre startRating gridRequired
- Statements:
- Forks free of cracks and bends
- Fork locking pins
- Mast chains and rollers
- Hydraulic hoses, no leaks
- Tyres or wheels
- LPG bottle secure, no smell of gas
- Battery charge and leads
- Seatbelt
- Overhead guard
- Data plate legible
- Horn
- Lights and beacon
- Reverse alarm
- Service and park brakes
- Steering, lift, tilt and side shift
- Describe any faultLong text
- Truck tagged out?Single choiceRequired
- Options: No faults · Yes, tagged and parked
- Forklift licence numberShort textRequired
- Operator signatureSignatureRequired
Truck
Checks
What each field on this form collects
The unit comes from a list of four trucks with the hour meter beside it. A paragraph sets the order of the check: visual items with forks down and the park brake on, then operational items from the seat with the belt on. The checklist is one matrix of fifteen rows with OK, Fault and N/A, where N/A covers the LPG row on an electric truck and the battery row on a gas one. A fault description, the tag out answer, the forklift licence number and the signature complete it.
Why one fault stops the shift
Forklifts are among the plant most often involved in serious workplace injuries, and WorkSafe Victoria has published alerts on workers killed by forklifts, including pedestrians struck and operators crushed. A truck with a weak brake, a slack chain or a broken seatbelt is not slightly less safe; it is the setup for one of those incidents. The intro names the items that stop the shift, so the operator does not have to judge, on a busy morning, whether a fault is small enough to work around.
Every check goes to the shift lead
The email alert add-on sends each submission to one address with the answers formatted into the message. It does not filter, so the shift lead receives every pre start, which has its own value: a missing email from FL-3 by 7 am means nobody checked it. The licence field records the high risk work licence a counterbalance or reach truck operator must hold in Australia, so the record shows the truck was checked by someone allowed to drive it.
How to adapt this form
A yard operation with rough terrain trucks adds rows for the rollover protection and the tyre condition on gravel. A cold store adds a row for the cab heater and frost on the mast. A site that runs attachments such as clamps or rotators adds a row for the attachment and its load chart.
What makes this form work
Stop items are named
Brakes, steering, mast, chains, forks, seatbelt and horn are listed in the intro as faults that stop the shift. The operator follows a rule instead of making a judgment under time pressure.
N/A for the other fuel
LPG and battery rows sit side by side with N/A available. One form serves the gas, electric and diesel trucks without separate versions.
A licence on every check
The licence number is required. Every pre start records who checked the truck and that they hold the licence to drive it.
Questions people ask
Who has to do the forklift pre start?
The operator who will drive the truck that shift, before the first lift. If the truck changes hands mid shift, the next operator does a quick check too. The operator knows how the truck should feel and is the person relying on it.
Do you need a licence to drive a forklift in Australia?
Yes for most forklifts. Operating a forklift truck or an order picking forklift is high risk work requiring the matching licence class, such as LF or LO. Pallet jacks and some walkie stackers are treated differently. Check your state regulator for the details.
What happens if a forklift fails the pre start?
It is parked safely with forks lowered, the key removed, and a danger or out of service tag fitted, and the shift lead and maintenance are told. It stays out of service until a competent person repairs and clears it. The form records the decision and the fault.
Can the form email only failed checks?
No. The email alert add-on sends every submission to one address and cannot filter by answer. Many shift leads find that useful, since a missing email means a truck was not checked. A webhook to another tool could filter, but it posts every submission too.
How long should forklift pre starts be kept?
Keep them for as long as your WHS records policy and your insurer require, and at least as long as the truck is in service. They are among the first records asked for after an incident. The responses table keeps every submission until you delete it, and exports to CSV.
Does an electric forklift need a different checklist?
Most items are the same. Electric trucks swap the LPG check for the battery, leads, charger connector and battery restraint. This form puts both rows in one list with N/A, so a single checklist covers the whole fleet and every truck reports the same way.
Build your own in about a minute
The button below opens the generator with this use case already described. Change the wording to match your own, generate, then edit anything you like.
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Want the steps in the builder? Read Email each pre start to the shift lead, then The matrix field. For everything this generator can do, see the form maker.
Written and checked by the OneCraft team. Last checked .