OSHA Forklift Inspection Requirements
OSHA requires powered industrial trucks (forklifts) to be examined at least daily before being placed in service, and after each shift when the truck is used around the clock, under 29 CFR 1910.178(q)(7). Any truck found to be in unsafe condition must be taken out of service until repaired. The inspection is a walk-around with the power off (forks, mast, tires, leaks, data plate) followed by operational checks with the power on (brakes, steering, hydraulics, horn, alarm, seat belt). Only a trained and evaluated operator may inspect and drive the truck.
What OSHA requires
- ✓ Examination at least daily before use, or after each shift when used continuously (1910.178(q)(7))
- ✓ Any truck in unsafe condition removed from service until repaired
- ✓ Only a trained, evaluated, and certified operator may operate it (1910.178(l))
- ✓ Operators re-evaluated at least every three years, and retrained after an incident or a new truck type
What the daily inspection covers
The pre-shift check has two parts. Power off: forks for cracks or heel wear, mast and chains and hoses, tires, overhead guard and load backrest, fluid levels and leaks, and the data plate. Power on: service and parking brakes, steering, lift-lower-tilt, horn, backup alarm, lights, seat belt, and gauges. The point is to catch a defect before the truck carries a load near people. Our free forklift daily inspection checklist puts the whole examination on one printable page.
Does the inspection have to be documented?
OSHA requires the examination itself; the standard does not mandate a specific form. But documenting it is how you prove it happened, and site owners, insurers, and prequal reviewers expect the written record. A completed daily checklist kept with your equipment records is the accepted practice. Forklift operation, training, and inspection also belong in your written safety program as a powered-industrial-truck section.
Common questions
▸How often does OSHA require forklift inspection?
At least daily, before the truck is placed in service. When a forklift is used around the clock, it must be examined after each shift. A truck found unsafe must be removed from service until it is repaired.
▸Who can inspect a forklift?
A trained, evaluated, and certified operator. OSHA requires operators to be trained and certified under 1910.178(l) before operating a powered industrial truck, and the daily inspection is part of safe operation.
▸Does OSHA require a written forklift inspection form?
OSHA requires the examination, not a specific form. Documenting it with a checklist is the standard practice and what reviewers and insurers expect. Use the free printable checklist and keep the completed copies.
Official sources
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