Excavator Pre Start Checklist
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What is an Excavator Pre-Start Checklist?
A pre-start for excavators is intended to catch and surface any safety or operational issues before the excavator is started and used - rather than wait for issues to show themselves in more serious ways or events.
Pre-starts keep your excavators in better condition, save money on larger and more serious maintenance issues and repairs, and create better safety outcomes for people working on and around excavations.
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Why is conducting excavator pre starts important?
Excavators and excavator operations pose a number of hazards for excavator operators, other site workers, contractors, builders, and the companies that are managing projects involving excavations. To mitigate the likelihood and severity of excavator issues and delays, companies create processes like pre-starts.
These pre-starts make sure all the excavator’s hydraulic connections, pipes, and hoses are checked for any signs of damage. Additionally, items such as mirrors, seatbelts, and safety levers are also checked and fixed before they cause injuries or accidents. Pre starts help keep excavators in top shape and performing better as they are intended, save money on major maintenance issues and costly repairs, and create an overall safer environment for workers working around excavations and other related jobs.
What components are necessary in an excavator pre-start checklist?
When done right, an excavator pre-start checklist can keep excavators in top condition without needing costly repairs. A good excavator pre start checklist includes the following components:
1. Pre-Start and Excavator Details
The first section of an excavator prestart template details the operator, company, and location of where the prestart happened to make sure someone is responsible when issues arise. This section also includes the make and model of the excavator and the hour meter reading with the day, date, and time the prestart happened.
2. Power Off Checks
This section covers the undercarriage, lights/strobes, mirrors, engine compartments, batteries, hydraulics, fluids, turret, and digging assembly of the excavator, where they are meticulously checked for visible damage, debris, and how secure they are.
3. Power On Checks
In this section, the excavator is checked to see if it runs properly and whether the gauges, hour meter, warning lights, fuel level, and horns are working as they are meant to be. Additionally, the function controls, including its accessories, are working at their best and steering in the right directions where they are directed to. Additional checks must also be done on the excavator’s wipers and seatbelts to make sure they are functioning properly and with no signs of damage.
4. General and Workplace Checks
This section of the excavator pre-start checklist covers the housekeeping, manuals, decals, and miscellaneous parts not checked above. The condition of the workplace is also inspected to see if there are holes, bumps, debris, obstructions, hazardous locations, or traffic and weather conditions that can potentially cause problems when an excavator is used.
5. Findings and Corrective Actions
As with any audit or inspection, the purpose of doing it is to find problems and provide solutions or corrective actions to make it better. In this section, all of the problems or hazards found are listed down with the corresponding corrective actions to be done. Additional comments must also be included, and the operator’s name and signature at the bottom to ensure he or she accepts the corrective actions prescribed.
What if your team don't do pre starts properly?
The short answer is no because an excavator pre-start checklist is vital to ensure safety, a more efficient workplace, and higher compliance with regulations. Omitting the essential checklist increases the risk for leaks, worn parts, low fluids before use, breakdowns, and even costly repairs for the business to take. Worst case: failure to conduct a pre-start checklist may lead to equipment failure, painful injury, or even legal problems that can harm a business's profitability and general business reputation.
Always ensure that you conduct an excavator pre-start checklist each time and observe how it can result in a healthy, safer, and more productive workplace.
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This digital Checklist was generated with Dashpivot
If you haven't already, it's likely time to take your pre starts digital:
- Complete your excavator pre start checklists on any mobile or tablet to ensure you document everything properly and never lose a record.
- Add QR codes to your excavators so operators can easily access, open and submit compliant pre starts
- Edit the pre start checklist for excavators to better suit your own excavators and operations.
- Store your checklist records in the cloud or export them as professionally branded docs with your company logo.
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