Forklift inspection checklist: What needs to be checked daily, weekly, annually?

WHAT NEEDS TO BE CHECKED AND MAINTAINED ON THE FORKLIFT TRUCK ON A DAILY, WEEKLY OR ANNUAL BASIS?

Forklift trucks provide extremely valuable services in a commercial environment. Thanks to their performance, they make many tasks easier and even make some of them possible in the first place. However, all forklifts are equally complex technical constructions whose range of tasks also places high demands on safety.

Normal wear and tear, incorrect operation and material damage can cause damage to a forklift truck. These are often damages that are at least functionally relevant, but usually also relevant to safety, at least indirectly.

 

Regular checks are therefore always carried out by

• German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) regulation 68 “Industrial trucks”, §37 ff and
• the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (BetrSichV)

 

prescribed. Nowadays, the requirements of the FEM 4.004 guideline of the Federation Europeenne de la Manutention (FEM) are used for the tests to be verified. It applies in principle to all powered industrial trucks as defined in ISO 5053 and to pedestrian-powered trucks regardless of whether they have a lifting function.

Both daily and longer-term inspections or work are prescribed. In practice, however, it proves useful to insert a weekly inspection as an intermediate step – especially for trucks that are used frequently or rarely.

 

BASIC INFORMATION ON INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR

Industrial trucks must function technically flawlessly and thus ensure safe operation. However, there is a considerable difference between the work required and the persons authorized to carry it out:

• Inspection: This is merely a comparison of the target and actual condition of a forklift truck by means of visual and functional checks and, if necessary, measurements. Only the daily and weekly checks and work may be carried out by the driver. The official FEM test, on the other hand, may only be carried out by experts.
• Maintenance: This is recurring work that ensures safe and technically flawless operation. This involves both maintenance work and the replacement of wearing parts. Such tasks may only be carried out by qualified personnel. What needs to be done and at what intervals is always subject to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Repair: This is used when relevant damage or signs of wear have been identified that require repair. This may be necessary as part of an inspection or maintenance as well as during normal operation and may also only be carried out by specialists and in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications – also with regard to the spare parts and approaches used.

Apart from the daily and, if necessary, weekly inspections, the work always depends on the operating hours. This applies both to general technical maintenance in the form of an inspection and to the statutory inspections.

MANDATORY DAILY CHECKS

“Every day before starting work, the driver must check the forklift truck visually and functionally at
. Only if no defects are detected
may the forklift truck be set in motion.”

This is literally what the DGUV writes in its Information 208-004, which means that it is not just a basic daily obligation to carry out a check, but one that must be completed by every driver at the start of their shift. In companies with a three-shift system, checks would therefore have to be carried out three times a day – whenever the forklift truck is taken over by the driver of the relieving shift.

This inspection is divided into visual and functional tests. In a practical sequence of operations, the tasks are as follows:

Visual inspections:

• The forklift truck makes an overall undamaged impression. This applies in particular to the overhead guard and any load protection grille.
• There is no visible leakage of operating fluids under the vehicle or in the area of the drive.
• The wheel nuts/bolts are tight (finger check is sufficient), the tires are free of damage and, if they are pneumatic tires, without any noticeable loss of pressure.
• The mast appears to be free of damage. The load chains are evenly tensioned and the forks are engaged, secured and free from damage, deformation and the like.
• The hydraulic hoses and cylinders are free of visible damage and leaks.
• The (starter) battery is clean and dry, the plugs are closed and tight, the terminals are secure and the cables leading from them are intact.
• The fill levels of all operating fluids (coolant, engine oil, brake fluid, hydraulic oil, fuel) are within the safe range between the minimum and maximum markings.
• The gas tank is sufficiently full on gas forklifts and all connections are free of damage.

Functional tests:

• The seat belt and restraint system bars are working properly.
• Pedals, steering wheel and control levers are smooth-running, clean, non-slip and undamaged.
• All warning lights light up when the ignition is switched on, but then go out again.
• The engine starts easily, accelerates well, runs smoothly and is free of unusual noises or a noticeable exhaust plume.
• The steering wheel can only be turned a maximum of two fingers to either side before the wheels react to the steering movement.
• The lights, indicators, horn and reversing alarm function properly.
• All operating levers trigger the corresponding functions of the mast without any problems (fully extend). In the neutral position, all components remain stationary and do not lower.
• The service and parking brakes work perfectly and engage noticeably after a maximum of 1/3 of the operating lever travel.

In practice, even inexperienced forklift drivers can carry out such a very thorough check in less than five minutes. It is recommended that the most important steps are either ticked off in the form of a checklist or are at least available on the vehicle in the form of an appropriately worded sticker. The former is the better solution due to the internal traceability. In this case, each driver must confirm with their signature that they have carried out all checks properly.

It is imperative that any defects identified always result in appropriate, immediate action. The DGUV is very clear on this point. It writes:

 

“Always applies:

• Do not continue driving if there are defects.
• Report defects immediately.
• Never attempt to rectify the defects yourself.”

However, this does not only apply to defects identified during the daily inspection. Rather, it is a permanent requirement for the entire operation of a forklift truck. Whenever a defect is detected, the three points mentioned apply.

RECOMMENDED WEEKLY WORK

There are no weekly inspection cycles in the official specifications. Nevertheless, many forklift manufacturers recommend such a procedure. Not least, this helps to supplement the daily procedure and shorten it at the same time.

• Check the sliding surfaces and remove any dirt.
• Check the fill level of the (starter) battery, top up with distilled water if necessary, clean the battery body and especially the terminals (always individually).
• Check the fastening system of the cylinder(s) on gas forklifts.
• Carefully blow out the engine cooler and air filter with compressed air against the normal direction of air flow.
• Remove loose dirt and dust from the truck using a hand brush and/or compressed air. Wipe the protective screens of the displays clean, clean the pedals, steering wheel and control levers. Pay particular attention to sticky and smearing dirt.

THE MANDATORY SMALL (QUARTERLY) FEM REVIEW

As mentioned, the inspection in accordance with FEM 4.004 is the relevant inspection of industrial trucks and is subject to a documentation obligation. This must take the form of an inspection logbook in which the date as well as the scope and result of the respective work are recorded. This creates an important official document in the context of statutory accident prevention – not least to clarify any liability issues.

In practice, the work according to FEM is divided into so-called major and minor inspections. The latter must be carried out every 500 to 600 operating hours.

• In single-shift operation, this corresponds to around three months,
• in two shifts two and
• one month in three-shift operation.

Accordingly, the small inspection focuses exclusively on a few particularly safety-relevant points. For forklift trucks, these are

• Bolt,
• Chassis,
• Forks and

THE MANDATORY MAJOR (ANNUAL) FEM REVIEW

In particular, the daily obligation to check the forklift truck in combination with the small FEM check already ensures comprehensive safety. However, due to the technical complexity of industrial trucks, there are significantly more areas on the truck that can also become defective and therefore pose safety risks.

The major FEM inspection is therefore considered to be the most important inspection of every single vehicle. It must be carried out at least once a year – in practice, however, the operating hours are decisive: this work is scheduled every 2,000 to 2,400 hours at the latest. Accordingly, any shift operation dictates significantly shorter inspection intervals.

Here, significantly more parts and assemblies are subjected to close inspection. In detail, the large FEM check covers over 100 items. The most important points here:

• The forks, attachments and stops are in a condition as specified by ISO 5057. The thickness of the fork bend is within the permitted manufacturer’s specifications or the ISO (as always, the stricter specification applies).
• The chains, their pins and associated structures are free from corrosion and other damage. The chains are flexible and exhibit wear that does not exceed the manufacturer’s specification or 3 percent. In the event of defects, the entire chain must be replaced.
• The brake system must withstand a thorough visual inspection for damage. The braking performance must be within the values specified by the manufacturer – both overall and in terms of distribution on both sides of the vehicle.
• Wheels and tires are visually inspected. In the case of pneumatic tires, the pressure must comply with the manufacturer’s specifications and wheel nuts or wheel bolts must be tightened to the correct torque.
• The driver restraint system, the seat and all controls and signs must comply with standards. All other warning and safety systems must also function properly.
• The electrical system, especially the wiring, must be free of damage.
• The hydraulic system is damage-free and passes a lifting system lowering and tilt system creep test in accordance with ISO 3691 or manufacturer specifications.

A comprehensive inspection of the vehicle frame and safety equipment is also carried out. As this covers a large number of points, they are not listed separately here.

Diesel trucks must also be measured with regard to their soot behavior and compared with the manufacturer’s specifications or statutory regulations.

AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL FOR THE FEM TESTS

As the two FEM tests are technically extensive and relevant in terms of operational safety and verifiability, they may not be carried out by just anyone. In this context, the Federation Europeenne de la Manutention refers to “experts” who must carry out these inspections.

These are experts who carry out regular inspections on industrial trucks and therefore have extensive experience and expertise in this area. This must be proven through appropriate training, courses or training sessions. Who is recognized as an expert for a forklift model is at the discretion of the vehicle manufacturer. The obligation to objectively assess safety aspects in accordance with EN ISO/IEC 17020 is also important.

In practice, this usually means that the FEM tests are typically carried out by the vehicle manufacturer’s own service personnel or personnel from certified service stations. It would also be possible to have your own personnel trained accordingly, although experience has shown that this can be difficult due to the need for objectivity.

Important: In the case of test-relevant accessories on the forklift truck that originate from third-party manufacturers, agreement must be reached with them and the forklift truck manufacturer regarding the test.

Due to the sales models of many forklift truck manufacturers, the inspection is usually carried out in conjunction with agreed maintenance contracts. Other prescribed maintenance work is usually carried out at the same time. This shortens the downtime of individual vehicles.

The inspections must be verified and documented in an inspection logbook. Inspections must also be recorded here if relevant defects are identified and subsequently rectified.

As frequent as these inspection intervals are, they always have a clear advantage for the owner of the truck: with a close-knit network of inspection and maintenance work, the occurrence of unexpected damage of any kind is relatively unlikely – and with it, incalculable costs due to sudden breakdowns or possibly even accidents.

 

 

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