Free drill rig inspection checklist
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Free drill rig inspection checklist (PDF-ready). Periodic checks of mast, hoist, rotary head, hydraulics, guarding and emergency stops on drilling rigs.
Commercial Director
Updated 5 July 2026
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What is a drill rig inspection checklist?
A drill rig inspection checklist is a periodic inspection sheet that guides a competent person through every safety critical and wear prone system on a drilling rig, whether it is a track mounted blast hole rig, a diamond core rig, a water bore rig or an auger rig. It covers the mast and its raise and lower mechanism, the hoist and wire ropes, the rotary head or top drive, the feed and pull down system, the hydraulics and hoses, the guarding around rotating parts, the emergency stops and the operator controls. It is a scheduled inspection completed above the daily pre-start, meant to catch wear, cracking, hydraulic leaks and guarding faults before they become a failure or an injury.
Drilling rigs carry a high injury potential because they combine rotating strings, high pressure hydraulics, suspended masts and lifting operations, often in remote locations where help is far away. A consistent inspection checklist turns rig safety into a measurable routine, gives the driller and the maintenance team a shared record of condition, and demonstrates the plant maintenance and guarding duties set out in the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations (mirrored in each state and territory except Victoria, which uses the OHS Regulations 2017 (Vic)). Recorded against each rig, the completed inspections build the history that planned maintenance, component change out and repair versus replace decisions rely on, in line with the asset management discipline of ISO 55001:2024.
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Benefits of using this drill rig inspection checklist
- Injury prevention: guarding, emergency stops and rotating parts are checked before a fault can catch or injure the crew.
- Less downtime: catching wire rope wear, hydraulic leaks and cracked structure early stops a rig failing in a remote hole.
- Complete rig history: every signed inspection adds to the record that component change out and warranty claims depend on.
- Shared condition picture: the driller and the fitter work from one dated record instead of relying on memory and word of mouth.
- Accountability: a named inspector and date against each inspection means every interval has a clear owner and paper trail.
- Audit evidence: a consistent, dated inspection trail is objective proof of a controlled plant inspection process for WHS reviews.
Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack
When you move from paper or static PDFs to digital forms in MapTrack, you get:
- Field users can easily scan a QR code to complete a form on mobile. Unlimited users.
- Automatically get alerts when faults are identified.
- Link every form digitally as a PDF to the relevant asset, location or person.
- Receive a digital PDF copy with every submission to your email.
- Ability to share forms digitally.
- Build conditional logic (show or hide questions based on answers).
- Take pictures or attach photos. Not possible with a paper-based form.
- Electronic signatures.
- Edit forms later without reprinting.
- Restrict permissions (who can view, complete or approve).
- Build forms with AI (describe what you need and MapTrack suggests the form).
- Trigger work orders automatically when a fault is logged during an inspection.
- Track service intervals by hours, kilometres or calendar date in one place.
- Attach supplier invoices and parts receipts to each maintenance record.
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What to include in a drill rig inspection checklist
This drill rig inspection checklist covers 10 key areas:
- Rig ID or fleet number, make, model, type and current engine or operating hours
- Mast: structure, welds, pins, raise and lower cylinders and locking devices
- Hoist and wire ropes: rope condition, terminations, sheaves and drum
- Rotary head or top drive: bearings, seals, chuck or breakout, drive condition
- Feed system: chains, cables, cylinders, cradle and pull down operation
- Hydraulics: pumps, hoses, fittings, oil level, condition and leaks
- Guarding: rotating parts guards, exclusion zones and interlocks
- Emergency stops, remote stops and controls tested and functional
- Air, dust suppression, water and compressor systems (as fitted)
- Defects found, parts fitted, competency of operator and next inspection due
How to use this drill rig inspection checklist
- Isolate the rig and make it safe: Park on stable level ground, lower the mast, set outriggers or tracks, shut down and isolate energy sources, and follow lockout and tagout so the rig cannot start or move while the inspector is working on it.
- Inspect the mast and lifting components: Check the mast structure, welds and pins for cracks and wear, the raise and lower cylinders and locking devices, and inspect the wire ropes and terminations for broken wires, corrosion and correct fit against the discard criteria.
- Check the drive, feed and hydraulic systems: Inspect the rotary head or top drive, the feed chains or cables, and the hydraulic pumps, hoses and fittings for wear and leaks. Run the systems where safe and listen and watch for abnormal noise, movement or pressure loss.
- Test guarding and emergency stops: Confirm all guards over rotating parts are fitted and secure, exclusion zones are marked, and every emergency stop and remote stop actually shuts the machine down when pressed. Any failed safety device takes the rig out of service until fixed.
- Record defects and sign off: Note every fault with enough detail for the next person, raise work orders for items not fixed on the spot, confirm the operator holds the right competency, then sign the inspection off and set the date the next inspection falls due.
In MapTrack, you can schedule and track maintenance digitally. Each submission is stored as a timestamped PDF against the asset record.
Get the free templateEnter your email above to download the full drill rig inspection checklist as a PDF.Back to download formHow often should you complete this form?
Run this inspection on a periodic schedule, commonly weekly or monthly for a working rig plus after any major component change, incident or transport between sites. Wire ropes, guarding and emergency stops are checked more frequently because they are safety critical, and the manufacturer schedule sets the interval for deeper mechanical inspections.
This periodic inspection sits above the operator's daily pre-start, which confirms the rig is safe to run that shift. Track completed inspections against each rig so wear trends are visible, overdue inspections are chased, and the maintenance team can plan component change out before a failure rather than after one.
Frequently asked questions
Applicable regulatory standards
This template aligns with the following regulations and standards:
- Model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act and Regulations, as enacted in each state and territory (in Victoria, the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic) and OHS Regulations 2017 (Vic))
- Model WHS Regulations, regulation 213 (maintenance of plant) and the plant guarding duties (Chapter 5, Plant and structures)
- AS/NZS 4024 Safety of machinery series - guarding, interlocks and emergency stops (e.g. AS/NZS 4024.1601:2014, guards and guarding)
- ISO 55001:2024 Asset management - Asset management systems - Requirements (controlled maintenance records and asset history)
- Manufacturer (OEM) inspection and maintenance schedule for the specific rig
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<div style="max-width:480px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,'Segoe UI',Roboto,sans-serif;border:1px solid #E5E7EB;border-radius:12px;padding:20px;background:#ffffff;">
<p style="font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.05em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#0E7490;margin:0;">Free template</p>
<p style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;color:#071D49;margin:6px 0 0;">Drill Rig Inspection Checklist</p>
<ul style="margin:12px 0 0;padding-left:18px;color:#374151;font-size:14px;line-height:1.6;">
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Rig ID or fleet number, make, model, type and current engine or operating hours</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Mast: structure, welds, pins, raise and lower cylinders and locking devices</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Hoist and wire ropes: rope condition, terminations, sheaves and drum</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Rotary head or top drive: bearings, seals, chuck or breakout, drive condition</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Feed system: chains, cables, cylinders, cradle and pull down operation</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Hydraulics: pumps, hoses, fittings, oil level, condition and leaks</li>
</ul>
<p style="font-size:13px;color:#6B7280;margin:14px 0 0;padding-top:12px;border-top:1px solid #E5E7EB;">Free <a href="https://www.maptrack.com/templates/drill-rig-inspection-checklist" style="color:#071D49;font-weight:600;text-decoration:none;">Drill Rig Inspection Checklist</a> by MapTrack</p>
</div>Please keep the “by MapTrack” attribution link in the snippet.
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