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Free excavator daily pre-start checklist
Record the excavator checks and findings before use. Download the PDF or customise a digital form for your team.
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39 checks · 8 sections · Sign-off
39 checks
The fields in the printable form, in a view that fits your screen.
- Asset ID
- Make / model
- Serial number
- Hours reading
- Operator name
- Licence / ticket #
- Date
- Site / location
Walk-Around
Engine & Fluids
Undercarriage / Tracks
Boom, Stick & Bucket
Cab & Controls
Safety Devices
Lights & Electrics
Attachments
(list any item marked F: reference item # from checklist)
Defects & Action Required
- Item #
- Defect description
- Action taken / reported to
- Rectified by / date
Declaration
I declare that I have completed this excavator pre-start inspection before using this excavator. I have reported any defects or non-compliant items to my supervisor and will not use this excavator until any defects that affect safety have been rectified. I understand that failure to complete a pre-start check or to report defects may breach company policy and WHS obligations.
Operator Sign-off
Signature · Print name · Date & time
Supervisor / Reviewer Acknowledgement
Signature · Print name · Date
ILLUSTRATIVE RECORD
A worked record example
Sample entries, not a customer inspection or a product screenshot.
Illustrative example. Adapt the detail to your equipment, project and workplace procedures.
- Asset
- EX-014
- Checklist item
- 18
- Observation
- Hose abrasion found during the walk-around.
- Status
- Reported; assessment pending.
- Next owner and action
- Maintenance supervisor to arrange assessment and record the job reference.
Keep the finding and the follow-up together; a tick alone doesn't explain an unresolved defect.
The MapTrack excavator daily pre-start checklist contains 39 checks across 8 sections.
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General guidance only. Check the form against your equipment manual, site procedures and local requirements before using it.
Short answer
An excavator pre-start checklist records the operator's checks before use: tracks, boom, stick, bucket and attachments, hydraulics, cab controls and safety devices, with machine ID, operator, defects found and who they were reported to. Operators complete it before operating, as the manufacturer's instructions and site procedure require. The model WHS Regulations set no daily pre-start; regulation 203 requires risks from plant to be managed.
Checked against Managing risks of plant in the workplace (model Code) (November 2024 version (reviewed May 2018; amended 2021, 2023 and 2024)) on by the MapTrack templates team. How we check templates
Key takeaways
- The MapTrack excavator daily pre-start checklist contains 39 checks across 8 sections. Sections covered: Walk-Around, Engine & Fluids, Undercarriage / Tracks, Boom, Stick & Bucket, Cab & Controls, Safety Devices, Lights & Electrics, Attachments.
- Record the excavator checks and findings before use. Download the PDF or customise a digital form for your team.
- Keep the finding and the follow-up together; a tick alone doesn't explain an unresolved defect.
- Keep the asset or project reference consistent across the form and its supporting records.
What is an excavator daily pre-start checklist?
An excavator pre-start checklist records the checks made before the equipment is used. This form covers tracks, boom, stick, bucket, hydraulics, cab controls and safety devices, with space to identify the machine and operator and record findings. Check each applicable item against the equipment instructions and workplace process, rather than treating a ticked box as a guarantee that the machine is safe.
Check the machine and each fitted attachment against the manufacturer's instructions. A daily form doesn't replace the equipment's scheduled servicing or a competent person's assessment.
Record a defect clearly enough for the next person to understand it: identify the item, describe the observation and note who it was reported to. Follow the site's process for taking unsafe equipment out of use and arranging assessment. Keep any repair and return-to-service decision connected to the same asset ID.
The PDF is a starting point for the record, not a complete inspection procedure for every model. Review it before use, add any missing checks and explain items that don't apply. An item that couldn't be checked needs follow-up; it isn't the same as an item that is not applicable.
Learn more about pre-start inspections in MapTrack.
Running pre-starts on more than one machine? Our guide compares the main pre-start inspection software options.
The hour reading on this pre start can update the machine's hour meter in MapTrack: see GPS tracker for excavators.
Choose the format that fits your team
Download the PDF
Use the original printable form for a paper workflow. Check it against your equipment and site procedure before the job.
Keep completed copies in your own record system and arrange any follow-up through your normal process.
Download free PDFCustomise a form in MapTrack
Start a free trial, adjust the digital form to your workflow, then save and publish it for your team to use.
Your account uses the digital template. Sample answers on this page and completed PDF records aren't imported automatically.
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Benefits of using this excavator daily pre-start checklist
- Equipment reference: recording the excavator ID connects the completed check to the right machine, site and maintenance history.
- Clear findings: an item-by-item record gives the reviewer a place to look for defects, limitations and follow-up notes.
- Operator handover: a dated record helps the next person see what was checked and which findings still need attention.
- Consistent review: the same field order helps the team compare records while still allowing checks specific to each machine.
- Maintenance context: linking a reported defect to its repair record lets a reviewer follow the issue from observation to completion.
- Useful sign-off: names and dates identify who completed and reviewed the record without implying that the form certifies the equipment.
What to include in an excavator daily pre-start checklist
- Excavator details: asset ID, make/model, serial number, hours reading.
- Operator details: name, licence/ticket number, date.
- Walk-around: general condition, cleanliness, no visible damage or leaks, ground conditions.
- Engine and fluids: engine oil, coolant, hydraulic oil, fuel, DEF/AdBlue (if fitted), air filter indicator.
- Undercarriage / tracks: track tension, sprockets, rollers, idlers, track pads/shoes, no debris wrapped.
- Boom, stick and bucket: pins and bushes (wear/play), bucket teeth and cutting edge, hydraulic cylinders, hoses, quick hitch.
- Cab and controls: ROPS/FOPS integrity, seatbelt, mirrors, wipers, horn, reversing camera/alarm, joystick operation, gauges.
- Safety devices: fire extinguisher, first aid kit, emergency stops, swing lock, boom lock, travel lock.
- Lights and electrics: headlights, work lights, beacon, indicators, battery.
- Attachments: secured, correct pins, hoses connected.
- Overall result, defects table, operator and supervisor sign-off.
How to use this excavator daily pre-start checklist
Identify the equipment and operator
Record the excavator ID, operator, date and the other details requested on the form. Confirm the checklist is appropriate for the machine and fitted equipment.
Use the equipment instructions
Follow the manufacturer's safe inspection procedure and your workplace requirements for each applicable check. Only perform tasks you are trained and authorised to carry out.
Record the result of each check
Mark the result using the form's columns and add a clear note for a defect or incomplete check. Explain items that don't apply rather than leaving their status ambiguous.
Report defects and arrange follow-up
Identify the equipment and affected item when reporting a finding. Follow the site's process for unsafe equipment and assessment, and keep the relevant job or defect reference with the record.
Complete and retain the record
Sign and date the completed check and obtain the required review. Keep unresolved findings visible and connect any later repair and return-to-service decision to the same asset ID.
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How often should you complete this checklist?
Use the excavator pre-start record at the point specified by the equipment instructions and workplace procedure, including the checks required before operation. Review whether another check is needed after a change of operator, location, attachment or equipment condition. Don't use this generic form to set universal servicing or electrical-testing intervals.
Keep daily observations separate from scheduled maintenance, specialist inspection and repair records. Record the relevant hour-meter reading where the form provides for it, and use the manufacturer's schedule and applicable workplace requirements to plan the next service. Report a new fault when it is found, rather than waiting for the next scheduled form.
Which record do you need?
These records do different jobs. Keep the same asset ID across them so the history is easy to follow.
Equipment maintenance log
Keep servicing and repairs in date order..
Use the same asset ID to connect the history to this record..
Work order / job card
Record an individual maintenance task..
Keep the work completed, parts, labour and sign-off together..
Machinery breakdown report
Investigate an unplanned equipment failure..
Record the symptoms, assessment and recurrence-prevention actions..
Make this form your own
From your template to your team.
Start with this template, adjust it for your equipment and site, then save and publish the digital form for your team.
- 01
Start your free trial
Use your work email to create your MapTrack account.
- 02
Customise, save and publish
Adjust the template fields and branding for your site.
- 03
Complete it on the job
Record checks, add photos and export a branded PDF.
Keep working offline
Load the form before you lose reception. Complete it offline and sync when you're back online.
Scan the asset. Open its form.
Use an asset's QR code to find and complete the forms that belong to it.
Show what you found
Capture photos and attach files so the next person has the details they need.
Take a branded PDF with you
Download completed forms as PDF reports with your company logo.
The trial uses a digital template. Completed paper records aren't imported automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Practical answers about the form, record keeping and using MapTrack.
The PDF includes 39 numbered checks covering tracks, boom, stick, bucket, hydraulics, cab controls and safety devices. It also includes equipment and operator details and sign-off. Review the individual checks against your machine and attachments before using it. Add any model-specific requirements and record findings clearly, including anything that couldn't be checked.
Link to this answerFollow the equipment instructions and your workplace's process for checks before operation. Consider changes in the machine, operator, location or attachment when deciding whether a fresh check is needed. Keep scheduled servicing and specialist testing separate; a completed excavator pre-start form doesn't replace either of those records.
Link to this answerRecord the excavator ID and the affected item, such as item 18 for a hose finding. Describe what you saw without reaching into a hazardous area to diagnose it. Follow the site's process for unsafe equipment and maintenance assessment. Keep the job reference and subsequent release decision with the pre-start record.
Link to this answerCheck whether the item applies to the excavator and its current attachment, then explain any N/A result in the notes. If you couldn't inspect an item, record that limitation and the follow-up needed. Don't mark an inaccessible hose or an uncompleted control check as passed just to finish the form.
Link to this answerDon't use a machine-weight threshold from a generic checklist to decide operator requirements. Check the plant, attachment, task and jurisdiction, and verify the person's competence for that work. Safe Work Australia's excavation guidance discusses operator competence and situations involving licensing; a completed pre-start form isn't evidence of competence on its own.
Link to this answerNo. A pre-start records checks before operation; a service record documents maintenance performed at the required interval or in response to a fault. Keep the same asset ID on both. If a pre-start finding needs repair, connect it to the relevant job card and keep the completion evidence with the history.
Link to this answerInclude the excavator ID, checklist item and observed condition, then name the person or role handling the follow-up. For example, a hose-abrasion finding should remain visibly unresolved until the assessment and any required work are recorded. Keep the next operator's handover connected to that job reference and status.
Link to this answerYes. Use the PDF download form on this page; starting a MapTrack trial is optional. Check the full excavator form before using it and adapt the checks to the equipment and workplace. Keep completed copies with the relevant asset records so findings and follow-up can be read together.
Link to this answerApplicable regulatory standards
This template is a starting point for your records. It isn't an approval, certification or replacement for the instructions and requirements that apply to your work.
| Standard | Edition | Clauses this template relies on | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of plant in the workplaceGuidance on inspecting plant and on maintenance and repair when a check finds a fault. | November 2024 version (reviewed May 2018; amended 2021, 2023 and 2024) |
| Safe Work Australia |
| Model Work Health and Safety RegulationsThe plant risk duty, and inspection and maintenance by a competent person following manufacturer recommendations. | Model WHS Regulations as at 5 December 2025 (cited within as the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011) |
| Safe Work Australia (drafted by the Parliamentary Counsel's Committee) |
| Earth-moving machinery - Safety, Part 5: Requirements for hydraulic excavators (ISO 20474-5:2017, MOD)Design safety requirements for hydraulic excavators. | AS 20474.5:2025 | Whole instrument | Standards AustraliaSold by the publisher |
Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of plant in the workplace
Edition: November 2024 version (reviewed May 2018; amended 2021, 2023 and 2024)
Guidance on inspecting plant and on maintenance and repair when a check finds a fault.
- Section 3.5: Inspecting plant: how and when plant should be inspected by a competent person, reflecting reg 213.
- Section 3.6: Maintenance, repair and cleaning of plant, following manufacturer instructions and by competent people.
Model Work Health and Safety Regulations
Edition: Model WHS Regulations as at 5 December 2025 (cited within as the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011)
The plant risk duty, and inspection and maintenance by a competent person following manufacturer recommendations.
- reg 203: A person managing or controlling plant must manage its risks in line with Part 3.1.
- reg 213: Plant must be maintained, inspected and, if necessary, tested by a competent person, following manufacturer or competent person recommendations; annual inspection applies only if neither is practicable.
Safe Work Australia (drafted by the Parliamentary Counsel's Committee)
Earth-moving machinery - Safety, Part 5: Requirements for hydraulic excavators (ISO 20474-5:2017, MOD)
Edition: AS 20474.5:2025
Design safety requirements for hydraulic excavators.
Standards AustraliaSold by the publisher
Each source was read at its publisher and the page checked on 26 October 2026. The publisher's current text is the authority.
MapTrack publishes this template. The linked authorities publish their own guidance; they haven't endorsed this form.
The numbers behind this excavator daily pre-start checklist
The pages below gather the figures behind this kind of check. Each figure on them carries its source and date, so you can quote it in a toolbox talk, a budget case or a board paper without chasing the original report.
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The MapTrack excavator daily pre-start checklist contains 39 checks across 8 sections.
- Short attribution
- MapTrack Excavator daily pre-start checklist, https://www.maptrack.com/templates/excavator-pre-start-checklist
- Reference list
- MapTrack. (2026). Excavator daily pre-start checklist [Checklist template]. Retrieved from https://www.maptrack.com/templates/excavator-pre-start-checklist
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<p style="font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.05em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#071D49;margin:0;">Free template</p>
<p style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;color:#071D49;margin:6px 0 0;">Excavator daily pre-start 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;">Excavator details: asset ID, make/model, serial number, hours reading.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Operator details: name, licence/ticket number, date.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Walk-around: general condition, cleanliness, no visible damage or leaks, ground conditions.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Engine and fluids: engine oil, coolant, hydraulic oil, fuel, DEF/AdBlue (if fitted), air filter indicator.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Undercarriage / tracks: track tension, sprockets, rollers, idlers, track pads/shoes, no debris wrapped.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Boom, stick and bucket: pins and bushes (wear/play), bucket teeth and cutting edge, hydraulic cylinders, hoses, quick hitch.</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/excavator-pre-start-checklist" style="color:#071D49;font-weight:600;text-decoration:none;">Excavator daily pre-start checklist</a> by MapTrack</p>
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About the author
Co-Founder & Commercial Director
Jarrod has spent over a decade in technology consulting and asset management, including roles at Accenture (mining and heavy industry) and CGI as an Asset Management Consultant. He co-founded MapTrack and built and scaled its original platform, then rebuilt it with Lachlan and Alex from thousands of customer conversations and 300+ user research sessions with field teams. His consulting background gives him deep insight into the operational and compliance challenges facing asset-intensive Australian businesses.
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