Pre-Start Checklist: What to Check Before Starting Work Each Day

Why Do Pre-Start Checks?

Many food machine problems can be spotted before start-up: a corner that wasn't cleaned yesterday, a part installed backwards, a loose screw, a safety switch that's been turned off. Discovering them only once production starts means, at best, scrapping a whole batch, and at worst, injuring someone or damaging the machine.

Pre-start checks don't take long, but they must be done "every day, on every machine, by the checklist." Below are general areas to check; for the specific items, order, and values for each model, follow the manufacturer's operating manual. For operating details of Dong-Yih Machinery models, call us at 06-257-4644.

1. Cleaning and Hygiene

• Are food-contact surfaces clean? Check the hopper, screw, nozzle, and conveyor belt surfaces for leftover dough, filling, or detergent from yesterday.
• Have they been sanitized and drained? Annex 2 of the Regulations on Good Hygiene Practice for Food (食品良好衛生規範準則) requires equipment and utensils to be checked for cleanliness before use.
• Surroundings: Are the floor, the area under the machine, and worktables clean, with no stray tools, cloths, or packaging materials?

2. Part Assembly

• Are all parts reinstalled and facing the right way? Nozzles, cutting parts, seals, scrapers: installing them backwards or leaving one out causes leakage or poor forming.
• Are fixing screws and knobs tightened? Loose parts may fall into the product during operation.
• Are seals and O-rings intact? Replace any that are cracked, chipped, or deformed. For details, see Seals, O-Rings, and Food-Grade Plastic Parts.
• Count the parts: As many as were removed for washing must go back in. For small parts, we recommend a dedicated storage box with one compartment per part.

3. Safety Devices

• Emergency stop switch: Does pressing it stop the machine immediately, and can it only be restarted after being reset? Article 45 of the Occupational Safety and Health Facilities Rules (職業安全衛生設施規則) requires power-driven machinery that poses significant danger to have a clearly marked emergency braking device in an appropriate location.
• Guards and interlock switches: Are the guards reinstalled, and does the machine stop or refuse to start when a guard is opened? Articles 43 and 58 require guards, enclosures, or interlocked safety gates on hazardous parts.
• Warning signs: Are the signs on hazardous parts clear?
• Has lockout/tagout been removed? Locks and tags applied during the previous day's maintenance must be removed by the person who applied them, after confirming the work is complete; they must not be cut off by someone else.

4. Power, Air Supply, and Utilities

• Check power cords and plugs for damage or moisture.
• For machines that need compressed air, is the pressure within the specified range?
• Are cooling water and water supply turned on?
• Are the control panel settings for today's product (weight, speed, program number)?

5. Lubrication and Abnormalities

• Confirm lubrication at the locations and intervals specified by the manufacturer, using only food-grade lubricants near food-contact areas. See What Is Food-Grade Lubricant (NSF H1)?
• Look under the machine for signs of oil or water leaks.
• Is the conveyor belt tracking off-center, damaged, or lifting at the joint?

No-Load Test Run

After the checks, run the machine empty for a while without loading material:

1. Listen: Any abnormal rubbing, knocking, or louder-than-usual sounds?
2. Watch the motion: Are all mechanisms moving smoothly and in sync, without hesitation?
3. Feel for heat: (after stopping) Is there abnormal heat near the motor or bearings?
4. Confirm safety devices: Press the emergency stop to confirm it works.

Once the no-load run is normal, load a small amount of material for a trial, confirm weight, shape, and seal meet standards, and record the results before starting full production.

What to Do If You Find an Abnormality

Don't "just try running it." When something's wrong, stop the machine, cut the power, hang an "Out of order, do not use" sign, and notify your supervisor or maintenance staff. Write the results on the start-up checklist with your signature and the time. This record is also the basis for tracing quality problems later.

FAQ

Q: What should be checked before starting up each day?
A: Cleaning and sanitizing status, part assembly, emergency stops and guards, power, air supply and settings, lubrication and oil or water leaks, and finally a no-load test run.

Q: How long should the no-load test run last?
A: Follow the manufacturer's manual. The key is listening, watching the motion, and confirming the safety devices, then loading a small amount for a trial once everything is normal.

Q: Should the emergency stop be tested every day?
A: We recommend pressing it once before start-up every day to confirm it stops the machine immediately and that the machine can only be restarted after resetting.

Q: Should start-up checklists be kept?
A: We recommend it. Article 11 of the Regulations on Good Hygiene Practice for Food requires records made under the Regulations to be kept for at least 5 years.