Health and safety is imperative in any workplace environment. Employees feel motivated when they can see management taking an active role in their wellbeing. There are many ways that employers can increase workplace safety with a pre-start checklist but did you know there are huge advantages to using a checklist to maintain your vehicles and equipment too?

In this article, we’re going to go through why you should use a pre-start checklist, the benefits of doing so and the options we offer at UniPrint.

So, What Is a Pre-Start Checklist?

Pre-start checklists come in all shapes and sizes. Standard ones essentially list out equipment or procedures to go through before you start a task or turn on machinery. At UniPrint, we offer customisable pre-start checklists too, which can be printed to the specifics of your workplace and machinery. 

Well-written and clear checklists are natural prompts to help workers use machinery in the safest possible way. But it’s not only safety that pre-start checklists can help with. There are a number of added benefits to workers regularly checking machinery and equipment.

Benefits of Pre-Start Checklists for Vehicles and Machinery

Health and Safety

Ok, so it’s not the only benefit, but it is the most important. Heavy machinery and vehicles can cause serious accidents in the workplace when not correctly maintained and checked. They can even be fatal. By implementing checklists into your worker's routine, you’ll be able to minimise vehicle or machinery-related accidents. 

Employees will be able to quickly and efficiently identify if machinery is unsafe for use and put control measures in place to fix them. This helps to create a positive workplace safety culture which will feed out into other areas of the working environment.

Financial Benefits

Whilst employee health and safety is #1 when it comes to pre-start checklists, the financial benefits are #2 for many businesses. When vehicle or machine hazards are identified, they can quickly be fixed. This means minimal time off the road or out of action so there are fewer losses.

Regular checks can also help to identify smaller issues before they become bigger ones. And we all know that bigger issues mean expensive issues. They’ll also be no call-out fees as many minor problems can be fixed on-site, meaning vehicles won’t break down on the side of the road.

When your workers use a vehicle pre-start checklist, they’ll be keeping themselves safe whilst also maintaining the machine. Issues can be fixed quicker and there will be less downtime for a vehicle that needs huge repairs.

Extend Equipment Life

A lot of workplace equipment is very expensive. Regular checklists and maintenance can help such equipment last a lot longer. Replacing small parts or fixing minor issues will increase the longevity of equipment which means you won’t have to buy brand-new machinery. 

Pre-Start Checklists at UniPrint

Our pre-start checklists are different from many others out there. Our standard checklists are versatile enough that they can be used for a variety of machinery, processes and vehicles. Each checklist includes:

• 40 X daily pre-start checklists
• 8 X weekly pre-start checklists
• Protective writing cover

This means that our standard checklists can be carried out daily, weekly or even monthly depending on your working needs. The protective cover makes them more durable so that they can be used in most work environments. 

We also offer customisable checklists and Take 5 Books. You can choose from just the front cover or fully customising the whole of your pre-start checklist. Brand colours, logos, specific procedures and names can help make checklists more memorable and keep health and safety a priority for workers.

If you opt for a fully customisable pre-start checklist, we can also print it on stone paper to make it waterproof and durable and translate it into numerous different languages. We also offer wholesale checklists and Take 5 Books which can really help to drive down costs and ensure your employees always have a checklist when they need one. 

Final Thoughts – Why You Need Machine and Vehicle Pre-Start Safety Checklists

Not only do checklists help to keep your employees safe but they can also save you money. Minor issues can be fixed quickly which means machinery has a shorter downtime and you don’t have money sitting on the side of the road waiting to be picked up. Regularly maintaining machinery will also ensure it lasts much longer and you get the most out of it.

To see how a customised pre-start checklist can help your workplace health and safety, contact the team at UniPrint today.