Glossary · Safe work, maintenance and competence
Pre-startup inspection
Also known as: pre-start inspection
In machine safety, a pre-startup inspection is a check performed before operation to confirm that required conditions and protective measures are in place, typically before first startup or restart after installation, modification or major maintenance.
- Machine safety
- Maintenance
In one sentence
A pre-startup inspection confirms, before a machine starts or restarts after work, that guards, devices and conditions are ready.
Example
After a conveyor section was rebuilt, the supervisor walks the line with a checklist: guards refitted, emergency stops tested, tools removed, people clear, lockout devices removed by their owners.
How it applies
- Machine safety: Restart after maintenance or modification is a common moment for accidents: guards not refitted, bypasses left in place, people still inside. The inspection closes that gap.
- Technical documentation: Provide a checklist tied to the machine, listing the protective measures to confirm. After commissioning or modification, it should reflect the machine as changed.
- Integrated systems: On lines, check neighboring machines and interfaces too, since work on one section can affect stop circuits of the others.
- Evidence: A signed checklist supports the release decision to return equipment to operation.
Pre-startup inspection vs. pre-use check
A pre-startup inspection is a formal check at specific events, often by a competent person. A pre-use check is a routine check by the user before each use or shift.