Safety checklist — Transport vehicle inspection
SAAQ safety circle check for heavy vehicle (GVWR ≥ 4,500 kg). Based on Québec's Construction Safety Code (CSTC) and CNESST standards.
Exterior walk-around
18 items- ✓
Check tires — wear, pressure, wheel nuts, cuts (all wheels)
- ✓
Inspect headlights, marker lights, turn signals, brake lights and reflectors
- ✓
Check fluid levels: engine oil, coolant, washer fluid, power steering
- ✓
Inspect exhaust system — no audible or visible leak
- ✓
Check axles, suspension and leaf springs
- ✓
Inspect body, chassis and fender condition
- ✓
Check coupling system if trailer (fifth wheel, kingpin, landing gear)
- ✓
Check trailer air and electrical connections
- ✓
Warning triangle, fire extinguisher and first aid kit present
- ✓
Documents on board per the SAAQ guide (licence, registration, insurance, PEVL)Critical
ℹ️ SAAQ / Highway Safety Code regime — consult the official guide, not a CSTC article.
- ✓
Start engine — check dashboard warning lights
- ✓
Test service and parking brakesCritical
ℹ️ Major defect: ground the vehicle per the official SAAQ circle-check guide.
- ✓
Test horn and air horn
- ✓
Check steering operation
- ✓
Test windshield wipers, defroster and heating system
- ✓
Check mirror adjustment — blind spots covered
- ✓
Seat belt present and functional
- ✓
Check air pressure gauge (pneumatic braking system)
Report / Sign-off
4 items- ✓
Record odometer reading
- ✓
Complete the SAAQ safety circle check reportCritical
ℹ️ Circle check: Highway Safety Code vehicle-safety regulation. Keep the report per that regulation — do not memorize a retention period off the text.
- ✓
Report any deficiency — minor (48 h repair) or major (immediate withdrawal)
- ✓
Sign the circle check report
22 verification items — use this checklist on-site with the app
Use on-site — freePDF reports, history and team management in the app
For information only — this is not legal advice. OK Sécurité is an independent company with no affiliation to the CNESST: we are not mandated, endorsed or certified by it. Completing a checklist here does not by itself establish your compliance — your exact obligations depend on your job site and your prevention program. Where there is any discrepancy, the official text published by Légis Québec or the CNESST prevails.
More checklists — Equipment Inspections
More safety checklists
Why a circle check — Transport vehicle
Heavy-vehicle circle checks are a SAAQ / Highway Safety Code matter — not the CSTC. Use the official SAAQ guide for the GVWR threshold and the components to check.
How long to keep the report, and how defects are classed, follow that regulation and the SAAQ guide — not a number invented here. A major defect grounds the vehicle until repaired.
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