Update: I never saw the point in pre-op checklists until a missed step cost us a day.

Tbh, I thought they were just paperwork until a hydraulic leak we caught early kept the job on schedule.

3 comments

3 Comments

Seeing how that hydraulic leak got caught makes me glad we stick to our lists. We had a similar close call with a frayed cable on the chipper last season. Running through the checklist forced us to spot it before it snapped, you know? What's the point in rushing if it just breaks down later? Now I make sure every crew member signs off on their part before we even start the engine.

gavin_jones101mo ago

That sign-off step is clutch. How do you deal with crew who think it slows them down too much?

xena_thompson711mo ago

How do you handle it when a crew member signs off but you can tell they just skimmed the list? Honestly, that's where I've seen things fall apart before. Tbh, if they don't really check each item, it's like the list is useless. Ngl, your close call with the cable proves the list matters, but how do you make sure people take it serious? Do you ever double-check their work or talk about what could go wrong to drive the point home? I mean, rushing through a checklist is almost worse than not having one at all.