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15 Pointer Construction Heavy Equipment Safety Inspection Checklist

15 Pointer Construction Heavy Equipment Safety Inspection Checklist

Last Updated on December 2, 2021 by Construction Digest

When dealing with heavy equipment, precautions of safety should be given the highest priority.

Having a construction heavy equipment safety inspection checklist is very important to minimize any accidents on the job.

To reduce the risks of accidents and injuries, make sure to inspect your heavy equipment periodically according to schedule.

You can use this checklist for heavy equipment safety inspection when inspecting your heavy construction equipment.

The 15 Pointer Construction Heavy Equipment Safety Inspection Checklist


1. Check the wheels

Start by checking the wheels. Examine if they are in good condition and not cracked or out of balance.

Make sure that they are properly inflated to avoid any accident caused by under-inflated tyres

2. Tighten loose bolts

You have to tighten all loose bolts in order to prevent them from loosening up even more while in use.

3. Test brakes

Test both hand brake and parking brakes. To test the parking brake, place the vehicle in park mode and apply the parking brake.

4. Test lights

You have to check if all your lights are working properly, including turn signals, reverse light and hazard warning lights.

If you see that there are damaged or missing pieces on any of your vehicles’ light systems, have them fixed right away.

5. Examine the oil filter

If you have a diesel engine heavy equipment, remember to check its oil filter for dirt accumulation.

Keep in mind that it’s not advisable to run a diesel engine without an oil filter or with an improperly installed one because it can cause major damage to your vehicle due to dirt accumulation inside its parts.

6. Examine the air filter

Similarly, you have to check the air filter of your heavy equipment.

If it’s too dirty, clean it or replace with a new one. You can use compressed air to remove dust and debris that collected inside its housing.

Otherwise, you can ask an expert to do it for you.

7. Check engine oil

Check if the oil level is fine according to the indicator on the stick attached on the dipstick.

If it isn’t, top off as needed and make sure not to overfill it since this won’t be good for your engine either because you might create unnecessary pressure.

Remember: don’t forget about checking your oil filter as well!

8. Test starting and charging systems

Check if everything is running properly with your heavy equipment’s starting and charging systems.

This includes checking its battery, spark plugs, ignition wires and starter motor

9. Perform a leak check

Perform a leak check on transmission, engine coolant system and hydraulic components.

You can also use a rag soaked in engine oil to wipe off the different parts of the engine

This will help you easily spot if there are any leaks.

10. Test all drive system components

Test manual transmission by making sure that it is properly locked into each gear range before releasing the clutch pedal.

Check if your heavy equipment’s four-wheel drive is engaging properly by shifting from high range to low range while the vehicle is moving at slow speed.

For steering system, test for free movement of the steering wheel and tires .

11. Test steering system components

Perform a check on the steering system by turning the steering wheel while someone else tries to stop you from rotating it.

Also, test your heavy equipment’s suspension for imperfections such as blown shocks, missing bolts and worn-out bushings.

12. Check hydraulic lines and fittings

Inspect all hydraulic lines and fittings to make sure that they are securely attached to one another.

Make sure that there aren’t any leaks coming from different parts of these connections as well as from the reservoir where fluid is held at high pressure.

Use a rag soaked in engine oil to wipe off any traces of oil or fluids that may have leaked onto other parts of your heavy equipment.

13. Test rear axle components

If you have a heavy equipment with a single rear axle, make sure that it locks into place when you apply the emergency brake.

If your heavy machinery has a differential type of rear axle, make sure to test this by applying one wheel at a time.

Also, check if all lug nuts are tightened properly and not missing from any of the wheels.

14. Check for security

Check if all doors and panels are closed securely as well as hoods and deck lids/covers.

Remember that these parts may slam shut on their own especially if they aren’t properly latched or fastened in place due to prevailing weather conditions.

In addition to tightening bolts, you need to check for signs of rust as well as corrosion on doors, panels and other parts to ensure that they are still as strong as you need them to be.

15. Check general condition

Before using the heavy equipment for construction, heck the general condition of the equipment.

This includes checking for any imperfections or abnormal noises that it may make while running.

Do not hesitate to let your heavy equipment mechanic check it if you’re not confident about its current state and performance capabilities.

Keep in mind, after inspecting your vehicle, always keep records of the results.

This is especially important if you want to file insurance claims or follow up with repair shops later on by providing proof of what was checked and deemed necessary.

Heavy equipment inspection should not be taken lightly.

In any industry, especially the construction industry these pieces of machinery are only as good as their safety records.

It is necessary for heavy equipment to have regular inspections done so that the operators can be sure their machines are safe and not going to cause any accidents or injuries in the future.

The 5 main benefits for doing regular heavy equipment inspections

1. Safe operation

The main benefit of a heavy equipment inspection is to make sure the machines are being operated safely.

By making sure that all necessary safety devices are in place and working correctly, operators can be sure they have done everything possible to prevent accidents involving their machinery.

It is important for everyone who operates a machine to know how it works and what to do if anything goes wrong.

By having inspections completed by professionals who can explain to employees any issues they find, workers will be more likely to understand the risks involved with their job and know what safety precautions to take when operating different pieces of equipment.

In addition, by routinely checking on the condition of the actual machinery itself, there can be no doubt that it will operate for its entire life span without any issues.

2. Saves money

By performing inspections at certain times during a piece of equipment’s life cycle, operators can also take advantage of some cost-saving options.

There may be instances where a part had been repaired but did not work quite right or perhaps some minor damage was detected after a off a forklift or something along those lines.

Rather than skipping the inspection, operators can make use of these moments to pass on any information about parts that still need work complete or issues with the condition of the machinery to their superiors.

This allows for potential problems to be spotted and repaired before they become a larger problem.

3. It extends the life span of the equipment

Another main benefit of heavy equipment inspections is to prolong a piece of machinery’s useful life span.

Much like other machines, equipment will eventually show signs of wear and tear through extensive use over time.

However by having inspections completed at regular intervals, small defects do not have as much room to grow into larger ones that could cause more serious damage later down the road.

In addition, it becomes easier for those who manage machines from above to determine when certain pieces of machinery should be retired from service.

4. You might find something that leads to more cost-savings

Inspections may also lead to the discovery of new ways for a piece of equipment to work more efficiently.

Sometimes there may be small problems that have been hidden just out of view that can only be seen when inspected more carefully.

In addition, by working with mechanics and other engineers, there is always the possibility that some sort of new technology can come about from these discussions which could make a piece of machinery run better or even cut down on energy costs over time.


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