Free tractor and machinery pre-start checklist
A simple daily check for tractors, headers, utes and other farm machinery — so faults get found in the shed, not in the paddock.
What it covers
- Guards, shields and PTO covers in place
- Brakes, steering and park brake
- Rollover protection (ROPS) and seatbelt
- Lights, beacons and reversing alarms
- Tyres, hydraulics and visible leaks
- Oil, coolant and fuel levels
- Who did the check, and any faults reported
Why pre-starts matter
Under Australian WHS laws, a farm business must make sure plant is safe to use and properly maintained. A written pre-start is one of the easiest ways to show you're checking machinery regularly and acting on faults.
Keep the record
A ticked sheet left in the ute glovebox is hard to find after an incident. Keep completed checks somewhere you can pull them up, with the date, the machine and who did it.
Common questions
How often should a machinery pre-start be done?
Most farms do one at the start of each shift or before a machine is first used for the day, and again after any repair.
Can workers do pre-starts on their phone?
Yes. In My Farm HQ each machine gets a QR code — workers scan it, tick the checklist and report problems straight to the owner.
General guidance only, not legal advice. Check your state WHS regulator for rules that apply to your farm.
More free farm templates
Go paperless with My Farm HQ
Checklists, inductions, hazards and spray records on any phone. Free for every farm until 1 January 2027.
Start free