A stump grinder inspection covers two things: the machine and the ground it is about to cut into. A sharp, well-guarded grinder can still hit a gas line or a buried cable, and a perfect locate does not help if the operator presence control has been tied down. This checklist starts with the utility locate and the chip zone, then walks the cutter wheel, teeth, guards, curtains, controls and drive, checks the operator's PPE, and ends with a decision on whether the grinder runs. Fill it in here and download a PDF without an account, or speak while you walk, and the document writes itself.
Call 811 before you grind
A stump grinder cuts below grade, and roots wrap around whatever was buried beside the tree. In the US, calling 811 (or using your state one-call center online) before digging starts the process that marks public utility lines, and many states treat grinding as excavation. The form records the ticket number and asks whether the marks were seen near the stump, or whether every utility on the ticket answered clear.
The one-call system usually does not mark private lines. Irrigation, landscape lighting, a buried dog fence, a propane line to a grill or a septic line are the owner's, so the form asks whether you asked about them.
The chip zone
Grinders throw chips, stones and metal a long way. Set the exclusion zone the maker's manual gives for that machine, keep people and pets out of it, and protect windows, cars and siding with screens or plywood where they are inside it. Probe around the stump for rocks, nails and old fence wire before the wheel finds them.
Cutter wheel, guards and controls
Teeth should be sharp and complete, their pockets uncracked and every bolt tight; a missing tooth puts the wheel out of balance and a loose one becomes a projectile. The wheel guard and debris curtains must be in place. The operator presence control, whatever the maker calls it, must stop the cutter wheel when released, and the wheel brake should bring it to rest in the time the maker states.
Drive, fluids and the decision
The drive belts, hydraulic hoses, fuel and fluids, and the tracks or tires are checked the same way as any other machine. The form ends with In service or Out of service; a tagged grinder becomes a safety finding at the top of the report, and every other fault becomes a corrective action with a person and a date.
Common questions
Do I need to call 811 before stump grinding?
Most states treat stump grinding as digging and expect a locate request before you start. Rules, notice periods and exemptions differ by state, so check your state one-call center. This form records the ticket, not whether your state requires it.
How far should people stay from a stump grinder?
Use the exclusion distance in the maker's manual for your machine, and more where the ground is stony or the stump is near a slope. The form records the distance you set rather than giving one.
How often should stump grinder teeth be checked?
Look at every tooth and pocket before each job, and again after hitting a rock or metal. Rotate or replace teeth as the maker describes; a cracked pocket is a shop repair.
Does this work for walk-behind and towable grinders?
Yes. Pick the type at the top. Anything that does not apply, such as tracks on a wheeled machine, can be marked N/A without lowering the score.
Does this checklist make our grinding work compliant?
It records the locate, the set-up, the machine checks and who decided the grinder could run. Whether the work meets your state's dig law, ANSI Z133 or any other rule is judged against that rule.