How often must a forklift be inspected?
At least daily before being placed in service, per 1910.178(q)(7). Where forklifts are used around the clock, they must be examined before each shift.
DEFINITION
OSHA 1910.178 is the powered-industrial-truck standard covering forklifts and similar trucks. Section 1910.178(q)(7) requires that each truck be examined at least daily before being placed in service, and removed from service if any condition adversely affects safety.
ALSO KNOWN AS · powered industrial truck standard · forklift inspection standard · 1910.178(q)(7)
29 CFR 1910.178 is the general-industry standard for powered industrial trucks — forklifts, reach trucks, order pickers, and rough-terrain lift trucks. Its inspection requirement, 1910.178(q)(7), is short but strict: industrial trucks must be examined before being placed in service, and they may not be placed in service if the examination shows any condition adversely affecting the safety of the vehicle. The examination must be made at least daily, and where trucks are used round-the-clock, before each shift.
A daily forklift inspection typically splits into a visual (key-off) check and an operational (key-on) check. The visual portion covers tires, forks, the mast and chains, hydraulic hoses for leaks, the data plate, overhead guard, load backrest, and fluid levels. The operational portion verifies the service and parking brakes, steering, the horn, lights, the hour meter, the lift and tilt functions, and any attachment.
1910.178 also requires operator training and certification (1910.178(l)) — a separate but related obligation. An operator must be trained, evaluated, and certified for the specific truck type and workplace conditions before operating, with re-evaluation at least every three years. Forklift deficiencies and the daily inspection are among OSHA's most frequently cited general-industry items because the equipment is ubiquitous and the daily check is so easy to skip.
When a daily inspection turns up a safety-affecting condition, the truck must be removed from service until it is restored to safe operating condition — the general-industry analogue of a crane's out-of-service / red-tag rule.
AUTHORITATIVE · SOURCE
29 CFR 1910.178 — Powered industrial trucks (OSHA.gov)RELATED · CHECKLIST
Forklift Pre-Operation Inspection Checklist
FREQUENTLY · ASKED
At least daily before being placed in service, per 1910.178(q)(7). Where forklifts are used around the clock, they must be examined before each shift.
If the examination shows any condition that adversely affects safety, the truck may not be placed in service and must be removed from service until it is restored to safe operating condition.
RELATED · TERMS
An OSHA competent person is someone capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to workers, AND who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) is the OSHA-required practice of isolating and de-energizing machinery so it cannot start up during service or maintenance. Under 29 CFR 1910.147, each energy-isolating device is locked and tagged, protecting workers from the unexpected release of hazardous energy.
A red tag marks equipment as out of service and unsafe to operate until a defect is corrected. When an inspection finds a safety-affecting deficiency, the equipment is red-tagged and removed from service so no one can use it before the repair is verified.
A preventive maintenance (PM) inspection is a scheduled check performed on a calendar interval or usage trigger (engine hours, mileage, cycles) to service equipment and catch wear before it causes failure — distinct from a regulatory safety inspection, though the two are often combined.
PUT · IT · TO · WORK
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