Daily inspection before operating a machine: the complete checklist

What it's for and who does it

The operator does it at the start of every shift, with the machine parked on level ground, the implement resting on the ground and the engine off. It takes a few minutes and prevents the most expensive thing on a jobsite: a small fault turning into a long stoppage or an accident.

It doesn't replace hour-based preventive maintenance; it complements it. Preventive maintenance changes oils and filters per the manual; the daily inspection catches what shows up between services. And one rule above all: your machine's operator manual rules. This list is the common base; the exact points and order for your model are in its manual.

The order: from the outside in

Always following the same order is what keeps anything from being forgotten. Start outside with the engine off and finish in the seat, with the machine running.

Step 1: the full walk-around

Walk around the machine slowly, always in the same direction, and look at each zone from top to bottom. Start with the ground: a new stain under the machine is the first sign of a leak.

• Ground: oil, fuel or coolant stains under the machine.
• Structure: cracks, open welds, pins and bushings with play, retainers and bolts all in place.
• Cylinders and hoses: rods free of scratches or dents, hoses without chafing, cracks or leaks at fittings.
• Tracks: correct tension, no loose shoe bolts, rollers and idlers without leaks, no trapped rocks or mud.
• Tires: pressure, cuts, even wear and all wheel nuts in place.
• Implement: teeth, cutting edges and end bits complete; quick coupler locked with its safety pin.
• Engine compartment: belts, radiator free of debris or blockage, cables without chafing, nothing loose.

Step 2: fluid levels, with the engine cold

Check fluid levels with the machine on level ground and the engine cold, and with the implement in the position the manual specifies for reading the hydraulic tank. Never open the radiator cap with the engine hot: the coolant comes out under pressure.

• Engine oil, between the dipstick marks.
• Coolant, in the expansion tank.
• Hydraulic oil, in the tank sight glass or dipstick.
• Fuel, and drain water from the separator if the manual says so.
• Air filter restriction indicator.
• Grease at the points the manual says to grease daily.

Step 3: cab and safety devices

Climb up using three points of contact, with steps and handrails clean of mud and grease. Before starting, check what protects the operator and the people working around the machine.

• Seat belt complete, latching and releasing.
• Cab protective structure (ROPS/FOPS) without dents or cracks.
• Windows, mirrors and cameras clean and complete.
• Fire extinguisher charged and in place.
• Control lockout lever working and all controls in neutral.

Step 4: start-up and function test

Start with the lockout lever engaged and look at the dashboard: no warning should stay lit. Listen to the engine and watch the exhaust: abnormal smoke or a new knock gets reported.

Then test everything, slowly and without load: horn, lights and backup alarm; brakes and steering; and each hydraulic function through its full travel (boom, arm, bucket, swing, travel or blade). Look for slow movements, jerks, noises or leaks that only show under pressure.

What to do with each finding

Not every finding stops the machine, but every finding gets logged. The rule is simple: if it affects safety or can damage a major component, the machine isn't operated; if it's wear or a minor leak, it's reported and the repair is scheduled; if everything is fine, you sign and work.

On a Komatsu with KOMTRAX, an abnormality code on the dashboard is also recorded and can be passed to after-sales with the model and serial number: the technician arrives knowing what to check.

The log: what isn't written down doesn't exist

One sheet per machine per day, on paper or on a phone, with the minimum: date, machine and serial number, hour-meter reading, operator's name, each point checked as fine or with a finding, and the signature. The supervisor reviews it and decides on findings; a photo of the hour meter and of each fault saves arguments.

That history pays off three times: the workshop sees when a leak started, hour-based maintenance is scheduled with the real reading and, the day you sell the machine or trade it in, it shows how it was looked after.

On video: tips before using your Komatsu

This short from the group's channel goes over the basics before starting a Komatsu machine.

Operator training and after-sales support

The daily inspection is learned by doing it with someone who knows. The group's APMT Academy runs skid-steer and excavator operator courses, and the pre-operation check is part of the practice. For findings that need a workshop, Grupo ConstruMarket's after-sales team serves in the workshop or on site in El Salvador, Guatemala (CMARKET), Nicaragua and Panama: request the check with the brand, model and serial number from the data plate.