# Daily EWP Pre-start Inspection Checklist

> Canonical page: https://equiphire.com.au/daily-pre-start-inspection-ewp/. Last updated 27 October 2026.

Quick answer: a pre-start is a visual walk-around plus function tests, done by a competent person at the start of each use, not weekly and not "when it looks dodgy". Ten minutes, recorded, and any fault means the machine does not work until it is fixed. The general checklist below supports the manufacturer's own pre-operation checklist for your model; it does not replace it.

## Where the pre-start sits

The NSW code describes a chain of inspections: pre-operational (each use, this article), routine (scheduled servicing), periodic and major inspections over the machine's life. Hirers own the first one; the rest are ours, and every Equip Hire machine goes out serviced with its logbook current. Who does what is set out in EWP inspections on hire. Your pre-start protects your crew from what happened since delivery: transport knocks, site damage, overnight vandalism, a slow leak.

## Use the actual model checklist

Every machine we deliver carries its operator manual in the weatherproof holder and a pre-operation check sheet for that model. The manual's checklist and function tests are the authority: it names the specific interlocks, alarms and emergency lowering controls fitted to that machine, and the order the manufacturer wants them tested in. A JLG scissor, an LGMG boom and a Zoomlion tracked scissor each have different items. The list on this page is the common shape; where it and the manual differ, the manual wins.

Who does it: a competent person familiar with that model, normally the operator. Familiar means knowing the control layout, the emergency descent and what the placards should say. First time on this model? Walk it with the manual before starting.

## The walk-around (machine off)

- Ground under the machine: fresh oil spots are a hydraulic leak announcing itself.
- Tyres or tracks: cuts, chunking, correct pressure (foam-filled: look for damage), wheel nuts.
- Structure: scissor arms or boom sections: cracks, dents, bent linkages; pins and retainers in place.
- Hoses and cylinders: weeping seals, chafed hoses.
- Platform: guardrails solid, gate self-closes and latches, floor sound, anchor points intact (booms).
- Placards and decals: capacity plate and warning decals legible; logbook present.
- Battery or fuel: charge state or fuel level, charger unplugged and stowed, caps secure.
- Attachments: pins, tie-downs removed, nothing loose on the deck.

## Function tests (machine on)

Run the function tests the manual lists for your model. On most machines they cover:

- Ground controls first: raise and lower, and the emergency descent. Prove it works before you need it.
- Platform controls: drive, steer, lift, horn; enable and deadman functions actually enable.
- Emergency stops at both stations.
- Alarms and beacons: motion and descent alarms sound, tilt alarm present.
- Brakes: the machine holds on the test slope it is rated for.
- Boom functions (if fitted): slew, telescope, jib, platform rotate: smooth, no drift.

## Record and escalate defects

Note the date, the machine (fleet code), the operator, the items checked and any faults found. Our machines carry a check sheet for exactly this; a photo of the completed sheet in your job folder is cheap insurance. Records also surface repeat faults: the second "low battery" note in a week is a message.

Any of the following means the machine is tagged out of service and we are called on 0472 721 234. There is no "work around" step and no repair step for the operator:

- Any hydraulic leak, structural crack or bent member.
- Emergency descent or an emergency stop not working.
- Missing or illegible capacity plate.
- Guardrail, gate or anchor point damage.
- Controls sticking, drifting or self-moving.
- A fault code on the display. Photograph it and the model; EWP fault codes: record, stop and call explains what we do with it.

Faults must be rectified before use. We would rather swap a machine than have you nurse one. Bypassing an interlock, resetting a tripped safety device without knowing why it tripped, or opening a cover to "have a look" is outside the operator's role on a hired machine.

## Same-day changes count

The pre-start covers the machine; conditions need their own check. Rain since morning, a new trench, a delivery blocking the exclusion zone: reassess ground and weather whenever they change, not just at 7am. The pre-start is also the moment to confirm the site's rescue arrangements still match the machine and the people on it.

## FAQs

When should a pre-start be done? At the beginning of each use: each shift, and again if the machine changes operators or sites mid-day.

Who should do it? A competent person familiar with that particular model, usually the operator, with the manual available on the machine.

Is a pre-start the same as servicing? No. Pre-starts are daily visual and function checks by the user; servicing and periodic inspections are scheduled maintenance we handle with the machine's logbook.

What should I check first? The ground under the machine, then tyres or tracks and structure. Leaks and damage show up in the first thirty seconds of an honest walk-around.

Do I need to test the controls? Yes. Function tests including ground controls, emergency descent and emergency stops are part of the inspection, not an optional extra.

Can I use the machine if a decal is missing? Not if it affects safe use, the capacity plate especially. Call us; replacements are quick.

What if I find a leak? Stop, tag it out, call us. Hydraulic leaks never improve on their own, and a failing hose at height is an emergency you can prevent at ground level.

Do I have to record the inspection? Record it. It proves the system works, catches repeat faults, and it is what an inspector or an insurer asks for first.

Why bother when the machine was fine yesterday? Because transport, vandals, other trades and slow leaks all happen overnight. The pre-start exists for the gap between yesterday and today.

## Sources

- SafeWork NSW, Code of Practice: Elevating work platforms (July 2026): pre-operational, routine, periodic and major inspections.
- Safe Work Australia, Model Code of Practice: Elevating work platforms (December 2025).
- Manufacturer operator manuals for the machines quoted: JLG, LGMG, Zoomlion (Equip Hire machinery library).
- Equip Hire pre-operation check sheets, JLG and LGMG fleet versions.

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