Pre-use Inspection & Maintenance

When should an operator carry out a pre-use (pre-shift) inspection of a forklift truck?

• AOnly after a breakdown has occurred and the truck has been repaired
• BAt the start of every shift before the truck is used✓
• COnly once a month
• DOnly when a supervisor specifically requests it at the start of the week

Answer: A documented pre-use inspection should be completed at the start of each shift or before the truck is first used that day. It catches defects early and is a key part of the operator's daily routine.

During a pre-use inspection you find the service brakes are not working correctly. What is the correct action?

• AUse it carefully at low speed for the rest of the shift
• BContinue using it and report the fault at the end of the week
• CTake the truck out of service, report the defect, and do not use it until repaired✓
• DIgnore it because the parking brake still works

Answer: A braking defect is a serious safety fault, so the truck must be taken out of service immediately, clearly reported and not used until it has been repaired and checked. Operating a truck with defective brakes endangers everyone on site.

Which of the following is part of the 'static' checks of a pre-use inspection, carried out with the engine off?

• ADriving the truck out onto a public road to test the steering and brake response
• BTesting the horn while driving at speed
• CRaising a maximum test load to full mast height to check the hydraulic rams and chains
• DChecking tyre condition and pressure, fluid levels, forks and the data plate✓

Answer: Static checks are done with the truck stationary and engine off, covering items such as tyres, hydraulic and coolant fluid levels, forks, mast, chains and the data plate. Operational checks of the horn, brakes and hydraulics follow with the engine running.

What should an operator check about the forks themselves during a pre-use inspection?

• AThat they are not cracked, bent, excessively worn or unevenly set, and that the locating pins are secure✓
• BOnly that they are painted the correct colour
• CNothing, as forks never need checking
• DThat they are exactly 1 metre long

Answer: Forks must be inspected for cracks, bending, excessive heel wear, distortion and secure locating pins, because a failed fork can drop the load. Worn or damaged forks must be reported and the truck taken out of use.

Who should carry out the pre-use inspection of a lift truck?

• AA qualified engineer from the maintenance contractor, before each and every shift begins
• BThe operator who is about to use it, before it is driven for the first time that shift✓
• CThe shift supervisor, who signs the check sheet on behalf of all of the shift's operators
• DNobody in particular — it is enough that the truck had a thorough examination

Answer: The pre-use check belongs to the operator, because the operator is the person who will find out the hard way if something is wrong. It takes a few minutes and catches the things that change day to day: tyre damage, leaks, fork wear, a flat horn. It does not replace planned maintenance or the thorough examination — it sits alongside them.

What is the difference between a pre-use check and a thorough examination?

• AThe operator checks the truck each shift; a competent person examines it under LOLER✓
• BThey are the same thing described in two different ways in the regulations
• CThe pre-use check is a legal requirement and the thorough examination is voluntary
• DThe thorough examination is done by the operator annually using a longer checklist

Answer: Two different activities with two different purposes. The pre-use check is a quick visual and functional check by the operator at the start of the shift. The thorough examination is a detailed systematic examination by a competent person under LOLER, with a written report, looking for defects that a daily check would never reveal — fatigue cracking in the mast, chain wear, hydraulic condition.

How often must a lift truck used only for lifting goods have a thorough examination?

• AAt least every 3 months
• BAt least every 6 months
• CAt least every 12 months✓
• DAt least every 24 months

Answer: For lifting goods the interval is at least every 12 months. If the truck is used to lift PEOPLE — with a properly integrated working platform — it drops to at least every 6 months, because the consequence of a failure changes entirely. A thorough examination is also required after exceptional circumstances such as major damage or a long period out of use.

A lift truck is used with an integrated working platform to lift people. How often must it have a thorough examination?

• AAt least every 12 months, the same as any other lift truck
• BAt least every 6 months✓
• CAt least every 18 months, provided the platform is inspected separately
• DOnly before the first lift, and then annually with the rest of the fleet

Answer: Lifting people halves the interval to at least every 6 months. The reasoning is straightforward: if a chain or a hydraulic component fails while carrying a pallet you lose the load, and if it fails while carrying a person you may lose the person. The platform itself must also be properly integrated with the truck, not an improvised cage sitting on the forks.

What should an operator look for when checking the mast chains?

• AEven tension between the chains, and no cracked, stretched or seized links✓
• BThat the chains are painted the same colour as the mast to show they match
• CThat the chains are slack, since tight chains put strain on the hydraulic rams
• DOnly that they are greasy, as lubrication is the sole thing that matters

Answer: Chains carry the carriage and the load. Uneven tension means one chain is taking more than its share, and cracked, stretched or seized links are the warning that it is failing. Lubrication matters too, but slack chains are a defect rather than a goal — they let the carriage snatch and shock-load the chain. Any chain defect means the truck comes out of service.

During the pre-use check the horn does not work. What should the operator do?

• ATake the truck out of service and report it — the horn is a safety-critical warning device✓
• BUse the truck but shout a warning at every blind corner and doorway instead of sounding the horn
• CUse the truck normally and report the fault at the end of the working week
• DUse the truck only in those areas of the site where no pedestrians are expected to be present

Answer: The horn is how the truck warns people it is coming, at exactly the blind corners and doorways where they cannot see it. Without one the truck is not safe to use, so it comes out of service and gets reported. Shouting is not a substitute in a warehouse with background noise, and "areas where no pedestrians are expected" is an assumption, not a control.

What should be checked on a pneumatic-tyred lift truck's tyres?

• ANothing — tyre condition is covered entirely by the thorough examination
• BOnly the tread depth, since pressure is set at the factory and does not change
• COnly that the wheel nuts are tight, as tyre condition is checked annually
• DCorrect pressure, plus cuts, embedded objects and wear across the tread✓

Answer: Under-inflation on a pneumatic tyre changes how the truck sits and handles, and it matters more on a lift truck than on a car because stability is already marginal with a raised load. Cuts and embedded objects such as nails and swarf cause sudden deflation. Solid and cushion tyres need checking too, for chunking, separation from the rim and wear beyond the marker.

During the pre-use check you find hydraulic oil dripping from the mast. What should you do?

• ATake the truck out of service and report it — a hydraulic failure can drop the load✓
• BPlace a drip tray under the mast and report it at the end of the week
• CTop up the hydraulic oil reservoir and continue to use the truck for the rest of the shift
• DContinue working but avoid lifting any loads above shoulder height for the rest of the day

Answer: A leak means a hose, seal or ram is failing, and the failure mode is the mast or the load coming down without warning. Topping up the reservoir treats the symptom and hides how fast it is losing oil. It is also a slip hazard on the floor and, if it reaches a drain, a pollution incident. Out of service, reported, and not used until it has been repaired.

Where should defects found during a pre-use check be recorded?

• AOnly in the thorough examination report, which the competent person completes
• BNowhere — telling the next operator verbally at handover is sufficient
• CIn the operator's own notebook, to be raised at the next team meeting
• DOn the truck's check sheet or defect report, and reported to the supervisor✓

Answer: Writing it down does two things a conversation cannot: it stops the defect being forgotten between shifts, and it builds a history that shows whether the same fault keeps returning. A verbal handover dies with the shift. The report should also make clear whether the truck is safe to use, so the next operator is not left guessing.