EWP pre-start checklist: base template and example

Before you use an EWP

• Safe Work Australia's EWP code of practice (December 2025) says EWPs must be inspected following the manufacturer's recommendations, and operator training should cover pre-start inspections and keeping the logbook up to date.
• Scissor lifts don't need a high risk work licence, but the code says operators must still be adequately trained. Boom-type EWPs of 11 m or more do need a licence.
• Rules vary by state and territory, and hire companies and principal contractors may have their own requirements. See what applies in each state below.

Using a boom lift? See the boom lift pre-start checklist.

EWP and scissor lift rules in your state

Scissor lifts don't need a high risk work licence anywhere, but operators must be trained, and states publish their own codes and lessons from incidents. We're not a regulator, so check yours:

• New South Wales: NSW approved its own elevating work platforms code of practice from 10 July 2026. See SafeWork NSW's EWP code of practice

• New South Wales: two scissor lift tip-overs, caused by drilling force and a dropped load, are covered in SafeWork NSW's mobile elevating platform tip-overs release

• Victoria: Victoria has its own OHS laws. See WorkSafe Victoria

• Queensland: pre-start, routine, annual and major inspections, and how long to keep records, are set out in WorkSafe Queensland's EWP inspection page

• Western Australia: an EWP that tipped when a wheel left the kerb is covered in WorkSafe WA's all-terrain EWP incident alert

• South Australia: SafeWork SA

• Tasmania: WorkSafe Tasmania

• Northern Territory: NT WorkSafe

• Australian Capital Territory: WorkSafe ACT

The national guidance is Safe Work Australia's EWP code of practice

Controls to think about

• The EWP code says if there's any issue with the EWP that could affect safety, don't use it. Park it in a safe area, lock it out and tag it.
• Check the route and the work area. The code covers ground conditions, slopes, overhead hazards and the travel path, and says people on the ground should know how to use the base controls in an emergency.
• On scissor lifts, a harness is only needed if your risk assessment says so. Keep the gate closed and stay inside the guardrails.

Scissor lift hazards and the controls to match

Every site is different, but these are scissor lift hazards that often get missed, with the kind of control the pre-start should prompt for each:

• Pushing or pulling hard from the platform, such as drilling, screwing or prying: check the manual side force on the compliance plate and stay within it.

• Dropping or lowering heavy items over the rails: bring materials down another way, and don't let loads land on the handrail.

• Using an indoor-rated machine outdoors: check the plate, and don't take an indoor-only scissor lift outside.

• Wind on outdoor-rated machines: check the rated wind speed on the plate and stop work if it's exceeded.

• Driving while raised over cracks, kerbs, ramps or drains: check the travel path and lower before crossing uneven ground.

• Floor loading on suspended slabs, mezzanines or over pits: confirm the floor can take the machine's weight before driving onto it.

• Standing on the guardrails or mid-rail to reach higher: get a taller machine instead.

• Charging batteries: charge in a ventilated area away from ignition sources, and check cables and plugs.

What to include in an EWP pre-start

• The site, date, operator and company
• The make, model, asset ID, hour meter and type of EWP
• Machine checks, such as tyres, hydraulics, controls, guardrails and gate
• Emergency stop and auxiliary descent, warning lights, alarms, and battery or fuel
• Site checks: ground surface, overhead hazards, exclusion zone and weather
• Confirmation it's safe to use, a photo, and sign-off by the operator and supervisor

Common gaps in an EWP pre-start

Before you go up, check the pre-start doesn't have these gaps. Your hire company or principal contractor may look for more:

• The machine isn't identified, so the check can't be matched to a fleet number or hire docket.

• It doesn't say whether the machine is rated for indoor or outdoor use.

• The logbook isn't checked, so overdue routine or annual inspections are missed.

• The operator's training or familiarisation on that model isn't recorded.

• Faults are written in the comments but the machine isn't tagged out.

Filled-in EWP pre-start example

Example only, not for use as your own checklist. This is the base template filled in for a fictional job: a contractor using an 8 m electric scissor lift indoors at a food plant, so outriggers and weather are marked N/A. Click the page to enlarge it.

Your own checks must follow the manufacturer's manual for your machine. If anything fails, don't use it: park it safely, lock it out and tag it.

How to fill one in

1. Fill in the site, date, operator and company, then the machine details.
2. Work through each pre-operation check, following the manufacturer's manual.
3. Test the controls at the platform and the ground, the emergency stop and auxiliary descent.
4. Check the work area: ground, overhead hazards, exclusion zone and weather.
5. If everything passes, tick the confirmation, add a photo and sign it off. If anything fails, tag the EWP out of service.

Get your EWP pre-start into the app

This form is in the Shadow Forms app. Your team can fill it in on site, add photos and sign it, then send it straight to the office.

The PDF and Word versions are copies only. If you have your own branded version, or want this one adjusted to your business, we can add it to the app. Upload a form, or get in touch.

Using a boom lift? Get the free boom lift pre-start checklist.

Checking machine guards? Get the free machine guarding inspection checklist.