What is a digital pre start and why should I complete one?

If you are new to working with machinery, you may not have heard about digital pre starts. You might even be wondering, what is a digital pre start? Why do I need to complete a digital pre start? Well, never fear; all your questions will be answered in this article! Let’s start with determining what exactly a digital pre start is.

What is a digital pre start?

A digital pre start is a check that is conducted on a piece of equipment or machinery prior to its operation. The pre start check is designed to ensure a machine is safe for use prior to it being operated, and identifies issues or hazards that may be present on the machinery. 

Unlike its traditional predecessors, a digital pre start is not completed in paper booklets, rather, it’s completed utilising software. This usually means it is easier to complete, quickly shows your machine is right to operate, and the results can be shared immediately if required. This avoids the traditional delays associated with paper based checks that often saw a machine in the field with safety issues.

Why do I need to conduct a digital pre start?

There are many reasons to complete a pre start check prior to operating machinery. But it’s important to remember the whole concept behind completing a digital pre start is to keep your operators and other people working near the machine safe. 

Conducting a pre start prior to using a machine each day will allow you to quickly identify any issues, and prevent an unsafe machine from being operated. A pre start could prevent a serious injury or fatality occurring on-site.

Over and above the safety aspect, a pre start checklist is a good way to regularly check the condition of the machine, identify maintenance and servicing needs and stay on top of minor maintenance to avoid costly breakdowns. This is a great way to ensure your machine is kept in top condition at all times, remains reliable, and maximises your machine’s uptime.

Digital pre starts are an invaluable tool for anyone working with machinery, but they are especially helpful to subcontractors. By completing digital pre starts, subcontractors can easily share up-to-date compliance data with their principal contractors, streamlining operations and providing peace of mind to all parties involved.

How is this different to a machinery risk assessment?

You might now be wondering what the difference between a pre start and a machinery risk assessment is. It’s simple. A pre start is a daily check to determine if the machine is safe and in good working order to be operated for the job at hand, whereas a risk assessment is far more in depth, and completed periodically for high risk machines once every 12 months or so. 

A risk assessment is an inspection on machine safety and compliance against the standards, regulations and legislation in place to protect the safety of workers. It compares these against the latest legislation, Australian and international standards, regulator codes of practice, industry leading practice and in the absence of any formal guidance applies the risk management process and the hierarchy of controls to the machine. It usually identifies corrective actions required to get the machine and the safety system of work supporting it in the best condition it can be.

Why should I use Plant Assessor's pre start checks?

Plant Assessor’s Pre Start Plus app allows you to easily complete digital pre start checks on a daily basis. Pre Start Plus is a superior pre start checklist that is:

• Machine specific - choose your machine from a database of over 120,000 pieces of plant and equipment then answer the comprehensive pre start questions which cover the intricacies of your machine.

• Digital - no need to fill in pre start booklets and file them away!

• Provides an instant result - once you complete the check, you will be provided with an instant determination about whether your machine is safe to operate.

• Shareable - you can share the results of your pre start check via email, allowing you to prove your compliance and get on site quickly.

• Free - best of all, Pre Start Plus is free, saving you the cost of paper pre start books, which can cost $50 to $120 per machine per year!

If you would like further information about how Pre Start Plus can help your business’ pre-operational checklist needs, please contact our wonderful team on 1300 728 852 or at info@assessor.com.au.

Disclaimer: This information is intended to provide general information on the subject matter. This is not intended as legal or expert advice for your specific situation. You should seek professional advice before acting or relying on the content of this information.