Test themes
Start and end of shift: check, maintain, report
The questions come from the R486 (aerial lifts) maintenance theme. They deal with defects to spot before and after using the machine.
Independent site, not linked to the French Health Insurance (Assurance Maladie), the INRS, testing bodies or training centres.
Your score · R486 · MEWPs (aerial lifts)
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Questions written by Radif Partners from the French Health Insurance recommendations. This is not the official test, which is sat at a certified testing body and is in French. Your answers stay in this browser.
A machine checked at the start and properly put away at the end limits breakdowns and incidents during the shift. Every CACES recommendation asks the operator to carry out pre-use checks, daily first-level maintenance and to report defects. The weight of the topic in the theory test varies widely: 10 points out of 100 in R490, where it is a full theme, 6 in R486, 4 in R482, and 4 in R489, spread within the operation theme. Because these themes are short, the half-marks rule is harsh: in R486 you need 3 correct answers out of 6, so 4 mistakes out of 6 fail the test, even with an excellent overall score. Questions describe a defect, a leak, a crack, a bulging hose, and ask for the right reaction: carry on regardless, repair it yourself, or stop and report. In the French test, fin de poste means end of shift and anomalie means defect.
How many points per theme in the R482 test?
Points in the test
44 / 100
| Minimum to score | 22 points |
| Syllabus points | 18 |
| Heaviest | Striking people when manoeuvring or reversing (4) |
Questions, explanations and calculations by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
Start of shift: checks before moving off
| Check | What to look for | If it fails |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | Instructions, inspection report up to date, no blocking reservation | Do not use, report |
| Walk-round | Leak, impact, crack, damaged tyre | Report, wait for the manager’s decision |
| Lifting parts | Chains, hoses, cylinders, hook and safety catch | Machine stopped until repaired |
| Safety devices | Brakes, steering, horn, lights, seat belt, limiters | No use if any device is missing |
| Energy | Fuel, battery charge | Refuel or recharge in the designated area |
| Suitability | Machine suited to the load, height and outreach | Ask for another machine |
The walk-round is done with the engine off, before climbing aboard. It does not replace the statutory inspection, which remains the employer’s responsibility, but it picks up what has changed since the day before: a knock against racking, a leak under the chassis, a tyre cut on site.
Weight of maintenance in the test, recommendation by recommendation
| Recommendation | Where the topic sits | Points | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| R489 | Within operation | 4 | – |
| R482 | Separate theme | 4 | 2 |
| R486 | Separate theme | 6 | 3 |
| R490 | Separate theme | 10 | 5 |
| R485 | Within operation | 4 | – |
The most detailed theme is R490’s, covering defects in hydraulic hoses, chassis and outriggers, and the crane structure. R486 uses the same split for aerial lifts:
| Syllabus point | Points |
|---|---|
| Faults in hoses and the hydraulic system | 2 |
| Faults in the chassis and outriggers | 2 |
| Faults in the extending structure | 2 |
How many points per theme in the R490 test?
Points in the test
38 / 100
| Minimum to score | 19 points |
| Syllabus points | 13 |
| Heaviest | Prohibited operations (7) |
End of shift: shutting down
- Park on level ground in the designated place, without blocking traffic or exits.
- Lower forks, bucket or blade to the ground; stow an aerial lift’s platform or fold the crane into its travel position.
- Apply the parking brake, set controls to neutral, stop the engine, remove the key.
- Do the daily maintenance: levels, top-ups, cleaning windows, mirrors and cab, greasing if the instructions require it.
- Put the battery on charge in the dedicated area or refuel as instructed.
- Record and pass on any defect, however minor, using the company’s reporting method.
The last step is the one the test asks about most: a reported defect can be fixed before the next shift, a hidden one never is. The R486, R490, R482 and R489 recommendations describe these tasks in their syllabus, and the practical test marks them. For the link between a defect and the right to withdraw, see the safety and prevention page; for lifting accessories, the slinging page.