Begin with the shutdown record
Before starting a stored machine, read the notes made when it was put away. Identify outstanding defects, components stored separately and services that were booked but not completed. Do not assume an item is ready simply because it was usable earlier in the year.
Locate the correct manuals and the manufacturer's instructions for returning the equipment to use. Ask the supplier if the storage history or required procedure is uncertain.
Match tasks to competence
Separate checks and preparation you are authorised and competent to perform from work for a suitable service provider. Electrical, hydraulic, lifting and other specialist tasks need appropriate arrangements. This guide provides no start-up or repair sequence.
Refer to HSE's work-equipment maintenance guidance for general principles. A calendar reminder helps organise work; it does not establish a machine's condition.
Recheck the planned configuration
Confirm which attachments, tyres and options will be used this season. If anything has changed, revisit the relevant compatibility and operating advice rather than carrying forward an old setup unquestioned.
For a tractor and implement, use the implement matcher only as a preliminary comparison of supported figures. Resolve the complete combination with the manuals and competent supplier.
Prepare the work, not just the machine
Review the site, access and people involved. Winter may have changed a route or exposed an obstacle. Obtain suitable assessment where required and confirm the operator has the necessary instruction and competence.
Leave enough time to deal with a defect or postponement. Planning the first job for the same moment as the first attempted start creates avoidable pressure to continue.
Close the record before scheduling work
Record completed preparation, service evidence and unresolved items. Keep equipment with unresolved safety concerns out of use under the appropriate arrangements. Assign the next action to a person rather than leaving a general note to “check later”.
The useful outcome is equipment with an understood status, a suitable operator and a planned task. A successful engine start answers only one small part of that assessment.