OSHA 1926.602 daily for skid steers and compact track loaders. Compact template (3 sections) because the machine is mechanically simple — the attachment coupler check is the one that prevents the worst incidents.
Sections
3
Fields
22
Equipment
Skid Steer
FREE PRINTABLE SAMPLE · NO EMAIL · THE FULL, CUSTOMIZABLE INSPECTION RUNS IN-APP
WHAT IT IS
The skid steer / ctl inspection checklist is the daily skid steer inspection built to OSHA 1926.602. It runs 3 sections and roughly 22 pass / fail / N A checkpoints — covering Tires / Tracks & Hydraulics, Operator Compartment / ROPS, and Attachment Coupler & Pins. Download the free printable sampleto put on a clipboard today — it's a basic quick-reference. The real power is running it in the DigiDocs app, where this becomes a fully customizable, 22-point digital inspection: every failure auto-creates a deficiency routed to your mechanic, photos attach on the spot, the operator e-signs, and each completed inspection becomes a signed, timestamped audit-trail record your auditor will accept without a fight.
CHECKLIST · STRUCTURE
This template is organized into 3 sections totaling roughly 22 Pass / Fail / N/A items. Clone it and tune fields to match your exact equipment configuration.
AUTHORITATIVE · STANDARD
OSHA 1926.602
Tires / Tracks & Hydraulics
SECTION · 01 · OF · 3
Operator Compartment / ROPS
SECTION · 02 · OF · 3
Attachment Coupler & Pins
SECTION · 03 · OF · 3
CREW · WHO RUNS THIS
Any contractor running Bobcat, Cat, Kubota, John Deere, Takeuchi, ASV, or any other skid-steer-loader or compact track loader on a construction site. Site prep, landscaping, demo cleanup, foundation work, utility installation — the daily 1926.602 pre-operation applies before the first cycle of every shift, even if the same operator ran the machine yesterday.
FIELD · INTEL
Pulled from competent-person write-ups in the field — not from a regulation digest. These are the items that fail the daily check more than any others.
Quick-attach coupler not fully locked — operator pulls forward and the bucket falls off
Seat belt or seat-sensor bypass (zip tie, magnet, override switch) found during inspection
ROPS bolt missing or torn off mount — disqualifies the cab as roll-over protection
Hydraulic line abrasion at the boom-pivot pinch point, common on 1,500+ hour machines
Track tension out of spec on CTLs, leading to derail under side load
OSHA · ENFORCEMENT
OSHA Serious citation: up to $16,131 per violation (2026 maxima). Willful or Repeat: up to $161,323. The most common 1926.602 citations for skid steers are 'failure to provide ROPS' after a roll-over and 'failure to maintain a safe-attachment system' after a dropped-load incident — both routinely jump to Willful when the bypass is operator-installed and a supervisor signed off on it.
Read OSHA 1926.602 on osha.govSERIOUS · MAX
$16,131
PER · VIOLATION · 2026
WILLFUL · OR · REPEAT
$161,323
THE PAPER SAMPLE VS · THE REAL THING
A printable checklist still relies on someone remembering to do it, store it, and find it when an auditor or insurer asks. The same skid steer / ctlinspection in DigiDocs runs on the phone already in your operator's pocket — and turns a checkbox into a defensible compliance record the moment it's signed. Every field is yours to customize.
Every line item, not just sections
The full template carries all ~22 checkpoints with the OSHA / FMCSA / ASME citation on each — the sample only shows the section headers.
Photo proof on every failure
Operators attach a photo the instant something fails, so the defect is documented at the point of inspection — not reconstructed later.
Failures become mechanic work orders
Every Fail auto-creates a deficiency routed to your mechanic dashboard, with repair notes and auto-verify on the next inspection.
Red-tag / operability built in
Operator marks Operable / Non-Operable per OSHA 1926.1417; critical fails can lock the asset out of service automatically.
Signed, timestamped, permanent
Operator e-signature on submit; every completed inspection becomes an audit-trail PDF and a shareable, revocable customer link.
Make it yours
Rename fields, add sections, set conditional logic, schedule recurrences, and white-label it — no two fleets inspect exactly alike.
NO CREDIT CARD · ALL 44 CHECKLISTS INCLUDED
RELATED · CHECKLISTS
Tracked or wheeled excavator — boom, stick, bucket, undercarriage/tires, hydraulic lines.
Articulated wheel loader — bucket, lift arms, articulation joint, brakes, tires.
Crawler dozer — undercarriage, blade, ripper, hydraulics, cab/ROPS.
Vibratory or smooth-drum roller — drum, water system, vibration mechanism, controls.
Off-road or articulated dump truck — bed, hydraulics, tailgate, tires, brakes.
Competent-person daily — soil classification, sloping/shoring/shielding, water, hazardous atmosphere, spoil setback, access, edge protection.
FREQUENTLY · ASKED
Yes. 1926.602(c) requires earthmoving equipment to be inspected before use on each shift, and skid steers and CTLs fall under earthmoving equipment. Most manufacturers also mandate a pre-shift inspection in the operator's manual — ignoring manufacturer guidance is itself a 1926.20(b) general-duty violation.
Same template, two different undercarriage sections. Skid steers run on wheels (tire pressure, sidewall damage); CTLs run on rubber tracks (track tension, idler wheels, sprockets). DigiDocs's template surfaces the right section based on the equipment configuration you set up — you don't see irrelevant fields.
The operator, in most cases. OSHA requires a competent person; for routine pre-shift checks, that's typically the operator who's trained on the machine. The exception is post-incident or post-damage inspections, which usually escalate to a mechanic or supervisor.
Quick-attach coupler not fully engaged. The lever has a positive-lock detent the operator skips by feel; the indicator pin should be flush with the receiver. The inspection's coupler check is designed to catch this — operator pulls back on the attachment to confirm seat before lifting.
Three to five minutes for an experienced operator. The template is structured around a single walk-around: start at the operator station, walk the left side checking tires/tracks and hydraulics, walk the rear/coupler, walk the right side checking the same items, finish at the operator station with controls and safety devices.
READY · TO USE
Download the free PDF, or start a 14-day Professional trial — no credit card. All 44 inspection checklists included; clone, customize, and deploy to your crew the same hour.