Checklist template

Warehouse and delivery lifting safety for furniture retailers

A ready-to-use checklist with 108 items in 6 sections, covering Lifting practices, Equipment, Racking, Vehicles, Customer home hazards, Training. Use it as-is in InspectLoop, or adapt it to your own standards in minutes.

  • 6 Sections
  • 108 Items
  • 92 Yes / No checks
  • 6 Scored ratings
  • 122 Points

Use this template How audits work

1. Lifting practices 19 items

  1. Pieces above the one-person weight limit set by company policy are lifted by two people Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Cartons are marked or listed with their weight so the team-lift rule can be applied Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Employees observed lifting bent at the knees Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Employees observed lifting kept the load close to the body Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Employees observed did not twist at the waist while carrying Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Sofas and sectionals are carried by two people, one at each end Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Mattresses are carried on edge by two people or moved on a mattress cart Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Dressers and chests are carried with drawers removed or secured shut Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Glass, marble and stone tops are carried on edge, vertically, by two people Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Sleeper sofas and recliners have their mechanisms tied or locked closed before they are lifted Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Crews agree on the route and the lift signals before lifting a heavy piece Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Loads are not carried above shoulder height Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Cartons on the floor are raised onto a cart or pallet rather than carried across the warehouse Yes / No 1 pt
  14. No heavy piece is carried up or down stairs by one person alone Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Warehouse employees and delivery crews take the scheduled breaks during heavy unloading Yes / No 1 pt
  16. A warm-up or stretching routine is done at the start of the shift where company policy provides one Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Employees observed lifting during the visit Number
  18. Unsafe lifts observed during the visit Number
  19. Lifting technique observed Rating
    • Safe on every lift observed 5 pts
    • Occasional poor technique 3 pts
    • Frequent unsafe lifting 1 pt

2. Equipment 18 items

  1. Two-wheel hand trucks are available in the warehouse and on each delivery truck Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Appliance dollies with straps are available for tall case goods and adjustable bases Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Four-wheel furniture dollies have all casters turning freely Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Hand truck tires are inflated and the frames are not bent or cracked Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Shoulder or forearm lifting straps are on each delivery truck Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Lifting straps show no cuts, fraying or damaged stitching Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Stair-climbing dollies, where provided, are used for heavy pieces on stairs Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Pallet jacks raise, lower and steer correctly Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Forklifts and order pickers have a completed pre-shift inspection checklist for today Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Forklifts and order pickers are operated only by employees holding a current operator certification Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Operators of order pickers wear a harness attached to the platform Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The furniture clamp or carpet pole attachment, where used, is listed on the forklift's capacity plate Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Employees handling furniture wear safety-toe footwear Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Gloves with grip are available to warehouse employees and delivery crews Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Furniture sliders and moving blankets are on each truck for positioning pieces without lifting Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Defective equipment is tagged out of service and removed from use Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Hand trucks and dollies found defective during the visit Number
  18. Condition and availability of handling equipment Rating
    • Complete and in good order 5 pts
    • Some items worn or missing 3 pts
    • Equipment missing or unsafe 1 pt

3. Racking 17 items

  1. Load capacity signs are posted on each bay of pallet racking Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Rack uprights show no dents, twists or forklift impact damage Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Column guards or end-of-aisle barriers protect uprights at aisle ends Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Rack base plates are anchored to the floor Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Beam safety clips or locking pins are in place on every beam checked Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Wire decking or pallet supports are in place on levels holding cartons Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Sofas stored on end in upholstery racks are restrained from tipping into the aisle Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Rack levels above head height hold no loose items that could fall when a neighboring piece is pulled Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Heavy case goods are stored on floor level or the lowest beam level Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Cartons on upper levels do not overhang the beam face Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Floor stacks are no higher than an employee can reach without climbing on cartons Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Rolled rugs on rug racks are taken down with a rug pole or by two people Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Employees reach upper levels with a rolling ladder or an order picker and never climb the racking Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Damaged racking is unloaded and tagged until repaired Yes / No 1 pt
  15. A documented racking inspection was done within the interval set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Date of the last racking inspection Date
  17. Condition and loading of racking Rating
    • Sound and correctly loaded 5 pts
    • Minor damage or loading faults 3 pts
    • Damaged uprights or unstable loads 1 pt

4. Vehicles 18 items

  1. Pre-trip defects affecting brakes, lights or the liftgate are repaired before the truck leaves Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The liftgate's roll-off stops raise and hold a cart on the platform Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The liftgate's rated capacity is marked on the gate Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Employees stand clear of the liftgate's pinch points while it moves Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Walk ramps are secured to the truck with hooks or pins before use Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Ramp and liftgate surfaces are non-slip and free of ice, mud and wrap Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Crews open the cargo door slowly and check for shifted loads before climbing in Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Heavy pieces are loaded on the floor of the truck, with light pieces on top Yes / No 1 pt
  9. The truck's cargo area has working interior lights Yes / No 1 pt
  10. The first aid kit on each truck is stocked to its contents list, with no expired items Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Each truck carries wheel chocks and uses them on slopes and at the dock Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Trucks are parked so crews do not carry pieces across a traffic lane when another spot is available Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Crews wear high-visibility vests when working in the roadway Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Dock plates or dock levelers are in place and locked before a pallet jack crosses Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Trailers at the dock are chocked or restrained before unloading Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Daily driving and lifting hours of crews stay within the limit set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Delivery trucks inspected during the visit Number
  18. Condition of delivery vehicles and loading gear Rating
    • Safe and fully equipped 5 pts
    • Minor defects or missing items 3 pts
    • Defects affecting safety 1 pt

5. Customer home hazards 18 items

  1. Crews plan the carry of the heaviest piece of the stop (route, rests, who leads) before unloading Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Crews check stairs, railings and landings for strength and clearance before a heavy carry Yes / No 1 pt
  3. A spotter guides the crew member walking backward when the load blocks the view Yes / No 1 pt
  4. On long stair carries, crews rest heavy pieces on the landings Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Customers are asked to keep children and pets away from the carry route Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Customers are asked to clear the route of rugs, toys and cords before the carry Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Crews do not carry over ice, snow or wet steps that have not been cleared or salted Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Floor runners or shoe covers used indoors have a non-slip backing Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Crews may refuse or reschedule a delivery when the access is unsafe, and know who to call Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Hoisting furniture over a balcony or through a window is done only by a crew or contractor authorized by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Crews use the step ladder from the truck and do not stand on the customer's furniture Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Old furniture or mattresses taken away are carried with the same two-person rules Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Crews check old mattresses and upholstery for bed bugs and broken springs before handling them Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Crews carry and use gloves when handling used mattresses and furniture Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Hazards found at a customer's home (aggressive dog, unsafe stairs) are noted on the customer record for future deliveries Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Each crew has a charged phone to reach dispatch and emergency services Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Deliveries refused or rescheduled for unsafe access in the last 30 days Number
  18. Crew practice at the customer's home, from ride-along or crew interview Rating
    • Route checked and hazards controlled 5 pts
    • Route checked informally 3 pts
    • No hazard check before carrying 1 pt

6. Training 18 items

  1. Every warehouse employee and delivery crew member has a manual handling training record Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Manual handling training includes practice with furniture, not only a video Yes / No 1 pt
  3. New hires complete lifting training before working unsupervised Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Refresher training is given at the interval set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Date of the most recent manual handling training session Date
  6. Delivery crews are trained on liftgate operation Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Delivery crews are trained on stair carries and the use of lifting straps Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Seasonal and temporary helpers receive the same lifting training before their first delivery Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Strain and sprain injuries are recorded in the incident log Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Each lifting injury in the last 12 months was investigated with corrective action recorded Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Near misses (dropped pieces, tipped loads) are reported and discussed at safety meetings Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Employees asked could state the one-person lifting limit Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Employees know how to report pain or discomfort early, and to whom Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Modified duties are available to employees returning from a back or shoulder injury Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Lifting-related injuries recorded in the last 12 months Number
  16. Name of the warehouse or delivery supervisor Short text
  17. Overall lifting and vehicle safety Rating
    • Strong 5 pts
    • Acceptable with gaps 3 pts
    • Unsafe practices observed 1 pt
  18. Corrective actions required Comments

About this template

This checklist is part of the InspectLoop template library. Yes / No checks score 1 point when met; ratings score the points shown for each option. The overall score is the percentage of points earned, with N/A answers excluded. In InspectLoop you can add photos, assign corrective actions, require sign-off and compare results across sites.

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