Free plant inspection checklist
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Free plant inspection checklist (PDF). Periodic mobile plant check: structure, guards, hydraulics, ROPS/FOPS and attachments. AU WHS. Download free.
Commercial Director
Key takeaways
- A plant inspection checklist is a periodic safety inspection of mobile plant, going deeper than the daily pre-start across structure, guards, hydraulics, ROPS/FOPS and attachments.
- It supports the WHS Regulations 2011, Chapter 5 duties to inspect, maintain and keep records for plant.
- ROPS and FOPS protective structures must be checked for damage, modification and certification, never repaired or modified without engineering sign-off.
- Registrable plant should also have its plant and design registration and statutory inspection status confirmed during the inspection.
Updated 4 June 2026
How to use: download the PDF, print or complete digitally on any device.
- PDF format, ready to print or fill on screen
- Use as-is or customise to suit your operation
- Go digital in MapTrack for photos, alerts and audit trails
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Used by construction, mining and field service teams
What is a plant inspection checklist?
A plant inspection checklist is a structured form for a thorough periodic safety inspection of mobile plant such as excavators, loaders, dozers, rollers and telehandlers. It covers the structure and chassis, guards and protective devices, the hydraulic system, the ROPS and FOPS operator-protective structures, tracks or tyres and undercarriage, engine and fluids, attachments and quick couplers, operator cabin and controls, and compliance items, recording a pass, fail or not-applicable result for each with notes on any defect. It is the deeper periodic check, not the quick daily pre-start.
Site supervisors, plant operators, workshops and HSE teams across construction, civil, mining and quarrying use this checklist to confirm a machine is in a safe and serviceable condition beyond the daily walk-around. It catches structural cracking, hydraulic wear, guard damage and coupler faults that a 5-minute pre-start will not find, and it documents that the plant was inspected and made safe. In MapTrack, the inspection runs as a mobile form against each machine, with meter readings, photos and defect work orders captured against the asset. Under the WHS Regulations 2011, Chapter 5, a person conducting a business must inspect and maintain plant and keep records, and registrable plant carries additional registration and statutory inspection duties.
Learn more about pre-start inspections in MapTrack.
Benefits of using this plant inspection checklist
- Mobile-plant coverage: one form checks structure, guards, hydraulics, ROPS/FOPS, undercarriage, attachments and compliance on earthmoving machines.
- Structural focus: a periodic check looks for cracking, wear and damage in the chassis and booms that a daily pre-start does not cover.
- ROPS and FOPS verified: operator-protective structures are inspected for damage, modification and certification, the items that protect a life in a rollover.
- Attachment safety: quick couplers, pins and locks are checked so an attachment cannot release during operation.
- Deeper than pre-start: developing hydraulic, structural and guard faults are surfaced before they cause a failure or an incident.
- WHS evidence: a signed periodic inspection is the documented proof of inspection and maintenance that Chapter 5 expects.
- Defect to work order: any failed item is logged with an action and rectified-by date so a machine is not run with a known fault.
Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack
When you move your checklists from paper to 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).
- Auto-schedule pre-start forms so operators are prompted before every shift.
- Flag overdue pre-starts on the dashboard so nothing leaves the yard unchecked.
- Link each pre-start to the asset record for a complete inspection history.
Book a demo to see how MapTrack handles checklists.
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What to include in a plant inspection checklist
This plant inspection checklist covers 11 key areas:
- Machine details: asset or fleet ID, make and model, serial number, hour meter and inspection date.
- Structure and chassis: frame, boom, arm, welds and mounting points for cracks or damage.
- Guards and protective devices: belt guards, isolators, interlocks and warning labels.
- ROPS and FOPS: condition, damage, unauthorised modification and certification plate.
- Hydraulic system: cylinders, hoses, fittings, oil level and any leaks.
- Undercarriage: tracks, rollers, idlers, sprockets or tyres and wheel condition.
- Engine and fluids: oil, coolant, fuel, belts, battery and visible leaks.
- Attachments and couplers: quick coupler, pins, locks and attachment condition.
- Cabin and controls: seat, seatbelt, controls, gauges, horn, lights and reversing alarm.
- Compliance: plant and design registration, statutory inspection, operator competency.
- Overall result, defects table, and operator plus supervisor sign-off.
How to use this plant inspection checklist
- Park the plant safely, isolate it and record the machine details.: Lower attachments to the ground, apply the park brake, shut down and isolate the machine, and follow lockout where required. Record the asset ID, make, model, serial number, hour meter and inspection date before you start so the record ties to the right machine.
- Inspect the structure, chassis and protective structures.: Walk the machine checking the frame, boom, arm, welds and mounting points for cracks, distortion or damage, and inspect the ROPS and FOPS for damage, unauthorised modification and a valid certification plate. Protective structures must never be repaired or modified without engineering sign-off.
- Check guards, hydraulics and for leaks.: Confirm all guards, isolators and interlocks are in place and undamaged, then inspect hydraulic cylinders, hoses and fittings for wear, chafing and leaks and check the hydraulic oil level. Treat any significant hydraulic leak or missing guard as a fail requiring rectification before use.
- Inspect the undercarriage, engine and fluids.: Check tracks, rollers, idlers and sprockets, or tyres and wheels, for wear and damage, then with the engine cool check oil, coolant and fuel levels, belts and the battery, and look for leaks. Record the hour meter reading to support service-due tracking against the machine.
- Check attachments, cabin, controls and compliance.: Inspect the quick coupler, pins, locks and any attachment so nothing can release in operation, confirm the seat, seatbelt, controls, gauges, horn, lights and reversing alarm work, and verify plant and design registration, statutory inspection status and operator competency where they apply.
- Record the result, raise defects and sign off.: Mark the overall result, list any failed item in the defects table with an action and a rectified-by date, and complete the operator and supervisor sign-off. Take the machine out of service for any defect affecting safe operation, especially structural, guard or ROPS/FOPS faults, until it is rectified.
In MapTrack, you can run digital pre-starts attached to each asset. Each submission is stored as a timestamped PDF against the asset record.
Get the free templateEnter your email above to download the full plant inspection checklist as a PDF.Back to download formHow often should you complete this checklist?
Run a full plant inspection on a set periodic cycle, commonly monthly or aligned to the service interval and hour meter, and always after a significant repair, an incident or a structural concern, while the daily plant pre-start is completed every shift before use. Registrable plant should also be presented for statutory inspection at the required interval. In MapTrack, you can schedule the periodic inspection against each machine by date or by hour meter, so the deeper structural and compliance check runs reliably alongside the daily pre-start.
Frequently asked questions
Applicable regulatory standards
This template aligns with the following regulations and standards:
- WHS Regulations 2011, Chapter 5 - Plant and Structures (duties to inspect, maintain and keep records for plant)
- AS 2294 - Earth-moving machinery: protective structures (ROPS and FOPS requirements)
- WHS Act 2011, s19 - Primary duty of care (provide and maintain plant that is safe)
Need to run digital pre-starts attached to each asset?
Register every asset in MapTrack, attach digital forms, and get a complete history of every inspection, service and compliance record.
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