Free pre-start / pre-site meeting checklist
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A pre-site meeting checklist is a form used to run through scope of work, hazards, permits, site rules, emergency procedures and attendee sign-on before work begins. This page explains what to include, how to run a pre-start meeting, and offers a free PDF-ready checklist you can download and use straight away. No sign-up required.
Last updated: 2026-02-21 · MapTrack
Commercial Director
How to use: Fill in meeting details → outline scope of work → identify hazards and permits → cover site rules and emergency procedures → attendees sign on → supervisor signs off → save as PDF (Print → Save as PDF).
- ✓ PDF-ready. Open and print to PDF
- ✓ Covers scope, hazards, permits, site rules, emergency procedures and sign-on
- ✓ Free to use with or without MapTrack
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See the first part of the checklist below. Enter your email above to download the full pre-site meeting checklist (PDF-ready).
What is a pre-site meeting checklist?
A pre-site meeting checklist (also called a pre-start meeting checklist) is a structured form used to brief all workers before work begins on a site or shift. It covers the scope of work for the day, site-specific hazards identified, required permits (hot work, confined space, heights, excavation, isolation), site rules and access requirements, emergency procedures including muster points and first-aid locations, environmental controls, PPE requirements, plant and equipment on-site, and key contacts. Every person on-site signs the attendance register to confirm they have been briefed. The completed checklist provides a documented record of the safety briefing for WHS compliance and audits.
Benefits of using a pre-site meeting checklist
- Shared situational awareness: everyone on-site knows the scope of work, hazards, permits and emergency procedures before they start.
- WHS compliance: demonstrate that workers have been briefed on risks and controls as required under WHS legislation.
- Permit coordination: confirm all required permits are in place and communicated to affected workers before work begins.
- Audit-ready records: a signed attendance register provides documented evidence of the safety briefing for audits and incident investigations.
- Reduced incidents: addressing hazards proactively at the start of each day reduces the likelihood of safety events during the shift.
- Multi-trade coordination: on sites with multiple contractors, the pre-start meeting ensures all trades are aware of each other's activities and any overlapping risks.
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).
Book a demo to see digital pre-start meeting forms and safety compliance in MapTrack.
What to include in a pre-site meeting checklist
Our free pre-site meeting checklist includes:
- Meeting details: date, time, site/project, client, principal contractor and meeting led by.
- Scope of work today: summary of tasks and activities planned for the day or shift.
- Site-specific hazards identified: hazards relevant to today's work and conditions.
- Permits required: hot work, confined space, working at heights, excavation, isolation and any other permits.
- Site rules and access requirements: speed limits, exclusion zones, sign-in/out procedures, parking, deliveries.
- Emergency procedures: muster point, first aider, nearest hospital, emergency contact numbers.
- Environmental controls: dust, noise, spill management and waste disposal requirements.
- PPE requirements: minimum PPE for the site and any task-specific PPE.
- Plant and equipment on-site: cranes, excavators, elevated work platforms and other major plant.
- Key contacts: site supervisor, safety officer, client representative, emergency services.
- Attendee sign-on: name, company, trade and signature for every person on-site.
- Meeting close-out and supervisor sign-off - supervisor confirms all items addressed and signs off.
How to run a pre-start meeting
- Gather all workers, contractors and visitors at the designated meeting point before work begins.
- Fill in the meeting details at the top of the checklist - date, time, site, project, client and who is leading the meeting.
- Outline the scope of work for the day. What tasks are happening, where, and which trades are involved.
- Identify and discuss site-specific hazards. Confirm which permits are required and that they are in place.
- Cover site rules, access requirements, PPE, environmental controls and plant/equipment operating on-site.
- Review emergency procedures - muster point, first aider, nearest hospital and emergency contacts.
- Open the floor for questions, concerns or observations from attendees.
- Pass the attendance register for everyone present to sign. The supervisor signs off and saves or prints the completed form.
In MapTrack, you can build digital pre-start meeting forms, collect electronic signatures on mobile, attach site photos and store every record against the relevant project. Ready for client reviews and audits. Book a demo to see how.
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Back to download formWhen to hold pre-start meetings
Pre-start meetings should be held at the beginning of each day or shift on active construction and maintenance sites. They are also required whenever there is a significant change in scope, conditions, personnel or when a new trade or contractor mobilises to site. On multi-day projects, daily pre-start meetings are standard practice and often a contractual requirement from the principal contractor or client. For short-duration or low-risk tasks, a single pre-start meeting at the beginning of the job may be sufficient - but any change in hazards, scope or conditions should trigger a review.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a pre-site meeting checklist?
- A pre-site meeting checklist (also called a pre-start meeting checklist) is a structured form used to run through critical safety, logistics and planning items before work begins on-site. It covers the scope of work for the day, site-specific hazards, required permits, site rules, emergency procedures, PPE requirements, plant and equipment on-site, key contacts and an attendee sign-on register. The checklist ensures every worker on-site understands what work is happening, what risks are present and what controls are in place before they start.
- When should a pre-start meeting be held?
- A pre-start meeting should be held at the beginning of each day or shift on-site. It is also required whenever there is a significant change in scope, conditions, personnel or when a new trade or contractor mobilises to site. On construction projects, the principal contractor typically runs a daily pre-start meeting before any work commences. For shorter projects or maintenance shutdowns, a pre-start meeting at the beginning of the job is the minimum requirement. Your site safety management plan and principal contractor requirements will set the frequency.
- Who should attend a pre-site meeting?
- Everyone working on-site that day should attend the pre-start meeting. This includes the site supervisor, all workers (employees and subcontractors), any visitors who will be in the work area, plant operators, and delivery drivers who will be on-site for an extended period. The meeting is usually led by the site supervisor or principal contractor representative. All attendees sign the register to confirm they have been briefed on the day's scope, hazards, permits and emergency procedures.
- Is the template free to use without MapTrack?
- Yes. You can download and use the pre-site meeting checklist for free. Open the file and use your browser's Print → Save as PDF to keep a copy. No MapTrack account required. If you later want digital pre-start meeting forms with electronic signatures, photo evidence and automatic record-keeping, we'd be happy to show you MapTrack.
Need digital pre-start meeting forms with electronic sign-on?
Build digital pre-start meeting checklists in MapTrack. Collect electronic signatures on mobile, attach site photos and store every record against the relevant project. Ready for any audit.