A Daily Forklift Safety Checklist For Your Indiana Business

Forklift Operator Safety

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If you're conforming to best practices in your Indiana warehouse, you know that there’s a daily forklift safety checklist that your operators should perform before each and every shift. Giving your forklifts a once-over is always a good idea to make sure that they are safe to drive under heavy stress. It’s also a time where you can diagnose small issues before they become large problems, so your lift trucks can get quality forklift maintenance early. 

But what exactly should be in your daily forklift checklist?

Here Are You Daily Forklift Safety Checklist Must-Haves: 

While each forklift may have some special attributes to keep in mind, there are some items that each and every truck should have on their daily forklift safety checklist.


  • Fluid levels: Check oil, hydraulic fuel, and water levels and look for leaks in hoses or reservoirs.
  • Mast chain: Visibly inspect for cracks and defects, then lift the forks a few times to see if there is any tilting or grinding.
  • Tires: Inspect tires for any holes, punctures, or debris, and check tire pressure and tread. 
  • Forks: Visually look for cracks, dents, or broken tips, and check the top clip retaining pin for damage.
  • Brakes: Tap on the brakes to ensure that the pedal isn’t too stiff or falls flush to the ground.
  • Lights: Turn on headlights, brake lights, and any specialty lights (red zone, strobe, etc),  and check for burned-out bulbs or fuses. 
  • Warnings: Make sure that there are not any warning lights lit on the dash. It’s not advised to operate a forklift when a warning light is going off.
  • Cab: Check finger guards, seatbelts and horns to ensure they work as intended.  Make sure cab is free of debris and the logbook and nameplate are present and updated. 

There may be some special areas to check depending on the specific machine.  For instance, you will want to double-check the battery condition on an electric forklift.  You will also want to pay special attention to attachments and ensure that they also work as intended.

Your Daily Forklift Safety Checklist Should Be Written and Followed Every Day

Make sure that your operators don’t just do the daily safety checklist, but also write down the results in a legible report. You can buy some pre-printed checklists and caddies to help you keep every inspection uniform and complete. These checklists should also provide a clue of which operators know their way around a forklift, and who may need more training.

When even the slightest red flag pops up, it should immediately be looked at with a certified maintenance person. One of the purposes of the daily inspection is to diagnose problems early, and when you don’t let cracks and small leaks fester, you ensure that your forklifts will be safe and running smoothly for a good, long time.  And if enough safety concerns keep showing their faces, it may be time to retire the truck and trade it in for a newer forklift model.

Tynan Is Indiana’s Leader in Forklift Repair and Training

Hopefully, everything in the daily forklift safety checklist looks like it’s in good working order.  But when issues do arise, just call on Tynan to help. We specialize in forklift repair and maintenance and are on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  Just call (317) 597-4003 and we can help fix those things found on your daily safety checklist.

Having a daily forklift safety checklist is important for Indiana businesses

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