Arborist Guides

Equipment Pre-Use Checks for Arborists UK

Equipment pre-use checks help arborists confirm that tools, machinery and vehicles are safe before work begins. For commercial tree work, they are a key part of PUWER compliance and a practical demonstration that equipment safety is actively managed on site.

This guide covers what PUWER pre-use checks must cover for arborist equipment, how to record them, what commercial sites expect to see, and why they matter beyond just ticking a box.

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What are they?

What are equipment pre-use checks for arborists?

Equipment pre-use checks are basic inspections carried out before tools or machinery are put into use on site. The purpose is to identify obvious defects, damage or safety issues before work begins — not to replace formal maintenance schedules or annual inspections, but to catch problems that could cause an incident on the day.

For arborists, this covers a wide range of equipment — chainsaws, wood chippers, stump grinders, MEWPs, vehicles, trailers, climbing equipment and hand tools. Each piece of equipment has specific things that need to be checked, and each check should be recorded so there is a documented record that the inspection took place.

On commercial sites, pre-use check records help demonstrate that equipment safety is being actively managed — not assumed. A risk assessment that lists equipment controls but has no supporting check records is weaker than one backed by documented daily inspections.

Example document

What an ArbDesk pre-use check looks like

ArbDesk pre-use checks are designed to be simple, practical and quick to complete on real jobs — covering all the key inspection points without unnecessary complexity.

ArbDesk equipment pre-use check document example for UK arborist work

Example ArbDesk equipment pre-use check — structured for UK commercial arborist use and included in every ArbDesk pack.

What to check

Arborist equipment pre-use check requirements by type

Each type of equipment used in arborist work has specific inspection points that should be covered before use. The following covers the key checks for the main categories of equipment used on commercial tree work sites.

Chainsaws

Chain condition — sharpness, tension and wear
Chain brake function — check before every use
Throttle trigger lockout operation
Chain catcher condition
Bar condition — rails, groove, sprocket nose
Oiling system — bar oil level and flow
Fuel system — no leaks, cap secure
Handles, anti-vibe mounts and general condition

Wood chippers

Emergency stop — test before operation
Infeed controls and reverse function
Rotor guards and feed rollers
Discharge chute — direction and security
Fluid levels — hydraulic, oil, coolant
Tyres and wheel fixings
Towing connection and lighting board
Knife condition (record in maintenance log)

Stump grinders

Cutting wheel — teeth condition and security
Guards and deflectors in place
Engine and hydraulic controls
Stability on ground — no tipping risk
Fluid levels and leaks
Safe access around work area
Buried services — check before starting

MEWPs

Platform and basket condition
Controls — upper and lower function
Emergency lowering system
Harness anchor points
Tyres or tracks — condition and pressure
Outrigger operation and ground conditions
Fluid levels and leaks
LOLER thorough examination in date

Vehicles and trailers

Lights — front, rear, indicators, brake lights
Tyres — condition and pressure
Brakes — function and handbrake
Towing connection — hitch, safety chains, electrics
Loads — secure, within capacity, covered if required
Mirrors and visibility
Fuel and fluid levels

Climbing equipment

Harness — webbing, stitching, buckles, no cuts or abrasion
Helmets — no cracks, chin strap secure
Lanyards and connectors — gates, locks, wear
Ropes — condition, no core damage, kinks or chemical exposure
Karabiners — gate function, no deformation
Pulleys and friction devices — wear and function

Legal framework

How pre-use checks link to PUWER and UK law

Equipment pre-use checks are a practical part of compliance with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). PUWER requires that all work equipment is suitable for purpose, maintained in a safe condition, and used only by people who are trained and competent to use it. Pre-use checks are how arborists demonstrate in practice that equipment is in a safe condition before each use.

PUWER is not the only legislation that applies. The following regulations all create duties that pre-use check records help satisfy:

PUWER 1998

Requires work equipment to be suitable, maintained and used safely by competent persons. Pre-use checks are the practical daily expression of this duty — confirming equipment is fit for use before it is put into operation.

Management of H&S Regulations 1999

Requires risk assessments to be carried out and control measures put in place. Pre-use check records demonstrate that the equipment controls listed in RAMS documents are actually being applied in practice on site.

LOLER 1998

Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations require thorough examination of lifting equipment including MEWPs. Pre-use checks are separate from — but complementary to — LOLER thorough examinations and should confirm the LOLER record is in date.

Working at Height Regulations 2005

All equipment used for work at height — including climbing harnesses, ropes, lanyards and MEWPs — must be inspected regularly by a competent person. Pre-use checks are a key part of this duty.

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

The overarching duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees and others affected by the work. Documented pre-use checks demonstrate that this general duty is being actively discharged.

AFAG Guidance

Arboriculture and Forestry Advisory Group guidance sets out expected pre-use inspection standards for arborist equipment. Commercial clients expect RAMS and supporting records to align with AFAG best practice.

Why record them

Why recording pre-use checks matters

Carrying out checks is the first step — recording them is what makes them useful for compliance, commercial submissions and protection if something goes wrong. A check that is not documented may as well not have happened from a legal or contractual standpoint.

What recorded checks give you

Evidence that equipment was inspected before use
A record of any defects identified and action taken
Consistency across different operatives and jobs
Supporting documentation for commercial RAMS submissions
Protection if an incident occurs and equipment condition is questioned
A basis for maintenance scheduling and defect tracking

Common failures without recorded checks

Checks carried out but not recorded — no evidence they happened
Defects noticed but not followed up or taken out of service
Different operatives checking different things inconsistently
No link between equipment controls in RAMS and site practice
Vehicle and towing checks overlooked entirely
LOLER or maintenance records out of date — not caught at pre-use stage

How they connect

How pre-use checks fit into your wider RAMS system

Pre-use check records are strongest when they connect directly with the risk assessments and method statements used for the job. If your RAMS lists equipment controls as part of the hazard management for chainsaw use, chipper operation or climbing, those controls need to be backed up by evidence that the checks are actually happening on site.

Risk assessment → equipment controls

Your risk assessment lists equipment control measures — PPE, pre-use checks, maintenance records. Pre-use check sheets are the evidence that those controls are applied in practice.

Method statement → equipment sequence

Your method statement describes how equipment will be used on site. Pre-use checks confirm that the equipment is in a condition to be used safely in the sequence described.

PUWER compliance → documented checks

PUWER requires equipment to be maintained and checked. Pre-use check records are the practical documentation layer that sits between the legal duty and the work on site.

Commercial submissions → supporting records

Principal contractors and local authorities expect pre-use check systems alongside RAMS. Having documented records to show is often the difference between a complete submission and a resubmission request.

Built from real commercial work

Written by a practising arborist

The ArbDesk pre-use check system was built by Christian, a working arborist with direct experience of what commercial sites expect when they ask to see your equipment safety records. The check sheets in ArbDesk are not adapted from generic industrial templates — they are built around the equipment arborists actually use and the specific points that matter for tree surgery operations.

Each check sheet covers the inspection points that HSE inspectors, principal contractor H&S teams and local authority site managers look for — designed to be completed quickly on site without unnecessary complexity, but comprehensively enough to serve as proper documented evidence of equipment inspection.

“Proper system built around how arborist work actually runs. Not just a generic template.”

Alexander AG Arborcare — Commercial Arborist, Surrey

Common questions

Equipment pre-use checks — frequently asked questions

PUWER 1998 requires that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order, and in good repair. Pre-use checks are the practical way of demonstrating that this duty is being met before each use. While PUWER does not prescribe a specific pre-use check format, an HSE inspector would expect to see evidence that equipment is being inspected before use — and pre-use check records are the most straightforward way of providing that evidence.

Pre-use checks should be carried out before each use — typically at the start of each working day or before a piece of equipment is put into operation on a new job. For high-risk equipment like chainsaws, the chainsaw chain brake should be tested before every use, not just at the start of the day. Some equipment such as MEWPs may also require checks when moved to a new location or after any incident involving the machine.

A LOLER thorough examination is a formal, periodic inspection of lifting equipment (including MEWPs) carried out by a competent person — typically every six months for equipment used to carry persons. It produces a written report and must be retained. A pre-use check is a daily operational inspection carried out by the equipment operator before use. Both are required — LOLER thorough examinations do not replace pre-use checks, and pre-use checks do not replace LOLER thorough examinations.

Legally, PUWER does not specify that pre-use checks must be recorded in writing. However, for commercial arborist work, recording checks serves several important purposes — it provides evidence that inspections took place, creates a record of defects identified and actions taken, supports commercial RAMS submissions, and protects the arborist if an incident occurs and the condition of equipment is questioned. For any arborist doing commercial work, written pre-use check records are strongly advisable.

Any defect that affects the safe operation of equipment should result in that equipment being taken out of service until the defect is rectified. The defect should be recorded on the check sheet along with the action taken — taken out of service, repaired, or monitored. Equipment should not be used with known defects that affect safety, even if the defect appears minor. Persistent or recurring defects should be escalated to maintenance or the equipment supplier.

Increasingly, yes. Many principal contractors and local authorities expect pre-use check systems to be in place as part of a contractor’s wider safety management system — and may ask to see check records as part of a site audit or pre-qualification process. Having a documented pre-use check system in place, with records available on request, is a practical demonstration that equipment safety is being actively managed rather than assumed.

They are related but not the same. Under the Working at Height Regulations 2005, equipment used for work at height — including harnesses, lanyards and ropes — must be inspected regularly by a competent person and also before each use. The pre-use check of climbing equipment is a visual and functional inspection carried out by the user before putting it on. This is separate from the periodic thorough examination by a competent person that PUWER and the Working at Height Regulations require. Both are necessary.

ArbDesk Pro Pack

Built for arborists who need more than RAMS alone

The ArbDesk Pro Pack includes the full RAMS system plus equipment pre-use check records, daily site briefing records, exclusion zone checks and incident reporting — everything needed for a complete commercial site submission.

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