Boom Lift Inspection Checklist: Daily, Frequent and Annual Inspections
Last updated: November 2026
A boom lift inspection checks the controls, safety devices, boom, turntable, hydraulics and power system of an articulating or telescopic boom lift before anyone works from the platform. Operators test the controls and do a walkaround every day before use, and a qualified mechanic does the frequent and annual inspections.
This guide covers the types of boom lift inspections, what OSHA and the ANSI A92 standards require, a daily pre-start checklist, a rental return inspection form, and how to keep inspection records.
For a general daily checklist and inspection checklists for other machines, see our heavy equipment inspection checklist.
In this guide:
Types of Boom Lift Inspections
| Inspection | When | Who | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-start inspection | Each day before use, and at the start of each shift | Trained, authorized operator | Walkaround visual check plus a test of all ground and platform controls |
| Workplace inspection | Before use and whenever conditions change | Trained operator | Ground conditions, slopes, holes, overhead obstructions, power lines and wind |
| Frequent inspection | Every 3 months or 150 hours of use, whichever comes first | Qualified person (mechanic) | Detailed check of the items in the manufacturer’s frequent inspection list |
| Annual inspection | No later than 13 months after the last annual inspection | Qualified mechanic for that make and model | Complete inspection from the manufacturer’s service manual, with a written record |
| Rental return or condition inspection | When a machine comes back from rent, or before buying or selling | Mechanic or inspector | Batteries or engine, hydraulics, frame, boom, controls and tires; repairs needed |
Always follow the checklist and intervals in the operator’s and service manuals for your make and model. They are the final word for that machine.
OSHA and ANSI Requirements for Boom Lift Inspections
Unlike scissor lifts, which OSHA treats as scaffolds, boom lifts are aerial lifts. OSHA’s construction rule for aerial lifts, 29 CFR 1926.453, covers extensible (telescopic) and articulating boom platforms and says:
- Test the controls daily: “Lift controls shall be tested each day prior to use to determine that such controls are in safe working condition.”
- Authorized operators only: only authorized persons may operate an aerial lift.
- Fall protection: wear a harness with a lanyard attached to the boom or platform, and never belt off to an adjacent pole, structure or equipment.
- Stay on the platform floor: do not sit or climb on the guardrails, or use planks or ladders to gain height.
- Respect load limits: never exceed the manufacturer’s boom and platform capacity.
- Set brakes and outriggers: set the brakes, put outriggers on pads or a solid surface, and chock the wheels on an incline when it is safe to do so.
The ANSI/SAIA A92.22 safe use standard adds a pre-start inspection before use each day or shift, frequent inspections every 3 months or 150 hours, and annual inspections no more than 13 months apart, done by a person qualified on that make and model. Keep written records of frequent and annual inspections; sources cite three to four years, so check the current standard. Operators also need training and familiarization under ANSI/SAIA A92.24. If an inspection finds a safety defect, tag the boom lift out of service until it is repaired.
Daily Pre-Start Boom Lift Inspection Checklist
Do the walkaround with the boom stowed and the machine off, then test every function from the ground controls and the platform controls in an open area. Mark each item OK, needs repair or not applicable.
Visual Walkaround (Machine Off)
| Item | What to check |
|---|---|
| Manuals and decals | Operator’s manual, safety manual and ANSI manual of responsibilities on board; warning decals and capacity placards in place and readable |
| Leaks | No hydraulic oil, fuel, coolant or battery acid on the ground, cylinders or hoses |
| Fluids | Hydraulic oil level with the boom stowed; engine oil, coolant and fuel on engine models |
| Batteries or engine | Batteries charged with tight, clean connections; on engine models, belts, hoses, air filter and no loose wiring |
| Boom sections and jib | No cracks, dents, bent sections or damaged welds; wear pads in place |
| Pins, rotators and swivels | Pins and retainers secure; jib and platform rotators work without play |
| Turntable | Turntable bearing (rotek) and bolts secure; no cracks or excessive play |
| Hoses, cables and power track | No chafing, kinks or leaks; power track intact and not binding |
| Platform and guardrails | Rails, toe boards and gate or chain secure; harness anchor points undamaged; platform floor clean and dry |
| Tires, wheels and axles | No cuts or excessive wear; lug nuts tight; axle and wheel ends in good condition |
| Covers and guards | Engine, hydraulic and battery covers in place and latched |
Function Test (Machine On)
| Control or device | What should happen |
|---|---|
| Ground controls | All boom functions work from the ground: lift, telescope, swing, jib and platform rotation |
| Emergency stops | Ground and platform emergency stops shut down all functions |
| Auxiliary or emergency power | Auxiliary power lowers and retracts the boom |
| Footswitch or enable | Platform functions work only while the footswitch or enable switch is pressed |
| Platform controls | Boom functions are smooth, with no jerking or unusual noise |
| Drive and steering | Drives forward and reverse in the stowed position; steers both ways; elevated drive speed is reduced as designed |
| Brakes | Machine stops and holds when the drive control is released |
| Tilt alarm | Alarm sounds and functions are limited when the chassis is out of level |
| Load sensing and envelope limits | Platform overload and boom envelope limits work as described in the manual, if equipped |
| Oscillating axle and outriggers | Axle lockout or outriggers work, if equipped |
| Alarms and lights | Motion and descent alarms, horn and beacon work |
If anything fails, tag the boom lift out of service and report it before anyone uses it.
Workplace Inspection
Before raising the platform, check the work area:
- Ground is firm and level enough for the machine; watch for soft soil, slopes beyond the rating, holes, curbs and drop-offs.
- Overhead obstructions are clear, and you keep a safe distance from power lines.
- Wind speed is within the machine’s rating.
- The swing area and travel path are clear of people, traffic and obstacles; use barriers or a spotter.
Rough terrain booms add four-wheel drive and oscillating axles; our rough terrain boom lift inspection checklist covers those items.
Boom Lift Rental and Condition Inspection
Rental yards inspect every boom lift when it comes back from a rental, and buyers and sellers use the same checks to judge a used machine. Record the make, model, serial number, hours, work order number and the dates of the last preventive maintenance and annual inspection, then mark each item acceptable, needs repair, not applicable or future repair.
| System | Items to check |
|---|---|
| Battery and electrical | Batteries, battery cables, charger; load test result for each battery |
| Engine (if equipped) | Fluid levels and fuel, start and stop function, charging system |
| Hydraulics | Oil level, filter and tank, rotators and swivels, pumps, motors and valves, hoses and fittings, condition of all cylinders |
| Frame and chassis | Wear pads, power track, motion alarm, turntable bearing (rotek), guards, covers and structure, manuals, warning and safety decals, latches, hinges and retainers, platform condition, axle and wheel ends |
| Ground operation | All boom and outrigger functions, emergency auxiliary power |
| Platform operation | Steering, brakes, elevated and stowed drive, all boom functions, tilt alarm, upper and lower emergency stops, emergency auxiliary power, footswitch, control system |
| Tires | Type (non-marking, foam filled or air filled), percent remaining on each tire, pressure on air-filled tires |
| Notes | Parts used, labor, recommended repairs, inspected by, date |
Below is FleetNow’s electric boom lift rental inspection form. You can build the same form in FleetNow Inspect.
Buying a used boom lift? Also read our guides to types of boom lifts, telescopic boom lifts and towable boom lifts, and how to operate a boom lift safely.
Inspection Records and the FleetNow Inspect App
Paper inspection forms get lost, wet and hard to read, and finding last year’s annual inspection can mean digging through file cabinets. FleetNow Inspect lets mechanics complete pre-start, frequent, annual and rental return inspections on a tablet or phone, add photos, and save every report to the machine’s history.
At OHR Rents, mechanics completed 73% more inspections in a month after switching from paper to the app, while the fleet grew 31%. When you sell a boom lift, you can share its inspection reports with the buyer or add them to your FleetNow listing.
Shop Boom Lifts on FleetNow
Browse used boom lifts, including articulating boom lifts, telescopic boom lifts and towable boom lifts, or shop by brand: Genie, JLG and Skyjack.
Need help? Contact the FleetNow team or call 1-216-973-5124. Have a boom lift to sell? List your equipment on FleetNow.
Boom Lift Inspection FAQs
OSHA requires the lift controls to be tested each day before use. Under the ANSI/SAIA A92.22 standard, the operator does a pre-start inspection each day or shift, a qualified person does a frequent inspection every 3 months or 150 hours of use, whichever comes first, and an annual inspection is due no later than 13 months after the last one.
OSHA 29 CFR 1926.453 covers telescopic and articulating boom platforms. It requires lift controls to be tested each day prior to use, allows only authorized persons to operate the lift, requires a harness and lanyard attached to the boom or platform, and prohibits exceeding the manufacturer load limits. The manufacturer manual and ANSI A92 standards add the frequent and annual inspections.
The walkaround covers manuals and decals, leaks, fluid levels, batteries or engine, boom sections and jib, pins and rotators, the turntable, hoses and power track, the platform and guardrails, and tires. The function test checks the ground and platform controls, emergency stops, auxiliary power, the footswitch, drive, steering, brakes, the tilt alarm, load sensing and alarms.
The annual inspection must be done by a person qualified as a mechanic on the specific make and model of boom lift, following the manufacturer service manual. Owners often use a factory-trained technician or a dealer service department and keep a written record of the findings and repairs.
Rental yards inspect a boom lift every time it returns from a rental. The inspector checks the batteries or engine, hydraulics, frame and turntable, all ground and platform functions and the tires, records the hours and work order number, and lists any repairs before the machine goes back out.
Keep written records of frequent and annual inspections, including the date, findings, repairs and who did the work. Sources cite a retention period of three to four years, so check the current ANSI A92.22 standard and your manufacturer requirements. An inspection app such as FleetNow Inspect stores every report with the machine history.
