Glossary

Definitions for key terms and concepts used across the PreStartGo platform.

A

Audit Log: An immutable, append-only record of the changes made in the platform. Audit logs capture who did what and when — including inspections, defect reports, bypasses made from the app, and administrative changes. They cannot be modified or deleted.

B

BLE: Bluetooth Low Energy. The wireless protocol used for communication between the mobile app and the Interlock, with application-layer HMAC-SHA256 signatures for command authentication.
Bypass: An emergency override of the interlock, for a machine that has to move despite a failed critical item — into a workshop bay, off a ramp, away from a hazard. A bypass made in the app follows a failed pre-start, lasts at most three hours, and records the operator, their reason, the time and the location; the machine owner's Administrators and Account Owner are notified. The Interlock's 10-second button hold is recorded on the device only.

C

Check: A completed pre-start inspection. A check contains a series of responses to checklist items, and the overall result (pass or fail) determines whether the equipment is unlocked. Checks are immutable once submitted.
Checklist: A template defining the inspection items an operator must complete before starting equipment. Checklists are configured per equipment type and can include yes/no questions, numeric readings, photo evidence, and text responses.
Compliance: The state of meeting inspection and safety requirements. In PreStartGo, a machine counts as compliant while its last passing pre-start is still valid. Where an Interlock is fitted, it is designed to stop the machine starting until a pre-start passes. It is Fail-START, so a power loss or fault leaves the machine able to start, and it has a physical bypass control for emergencies: it backs up your safety process rather than replacing it.
Critical Item: A checklist item marked Critical. When a critical item fails on a pre-start, the pre-start fails and the machine is not unlocked, and the item's defect takes the machine Out of Service until that defect is closed. A critical item that fails on a service checklist does the same.

D

Defect: An issue identified during a pre-start inspection or a service. Defects follow a four-state lifecycle: REPORTED, ACKNOWLEDGED, RESOLVED, CLOSED. Repair logistics are tracked on a separate linked service record. A failed critical item's defect holds the machine until the defect is closed. A lockout a person sets by hand is separate: closing the defect does not lift it.
Digital Logbook: A public-facing web page for a piece of equipment, accessible by scanning its GoTag. It provides instant verification of the equipment's current compliance status, recent inspections, and open defects without requiring a login or app installation.

E

Equipment: A piece of equipment registered in PreStartGo. Equipment can be vehicles, machines, or any item that requires pre-start inspections. Each equipment record belongs to an organisation and can optionally have an Interlock, a Tracker and one or more GoTags assigned.
ESP32: The ESP32-C6 (RISC-V) microcontroller that powers the Interlock. It handles the Bluetooth link to the app, the relay, and the decision to lock or unlock.

F

Fail-START: The Interlock's safety posture: if it loses power or faults, its relay rests in the position that lets the machine start. A dead device never strands equipment in the field; a fault suspends enforcement, not the machine.
FCM: Firebase Cloud Messaging: the Google service that delivers PreStartGo's push notifications to phones, such as a critical defect, a geofence breach or a service coming due.

G

Geofence: A virtual geographic boundary configured around a site or zone, used for site check-in and compliance actions. Per-equipment live GPS tracking against a geofence arrives with the Tracker — see Tracker.
GoTag: A QR + NFC identity tag fitted to a piece of equipment. Operators scan it with the mobile app to identify equipment and start an inspection; anyone with a phone camera can scan it to view the public digital logbook. GoTags do not include interlock hardware on their own — pair one with an Interlock for physical enforcement.

H

HammerTech Integration: A planned two-way link with HammerTech: PreStartGo pre-starts would appear in HammerTech as inspections, and HammerTech issues would arrive in PreStartGo as defects. Still in development, and delivered through the integrations add-on, which can be added to any paid plan.

I

Interlock: PreStartGo's hardware interlock: a BLE-only device wired into a machine's starter or operator-presence circuit, designed to keep the machine from starting until a passing pre-start unlocks it from the mobile app. It is Fail-START: a power loss or fault leaves the machine able to start. It controls a relay and requires an operator with a phone within BLE range. IP57 rated, RCM certified (AU/NZ). Sold outright, with a 12-month warranty, plus a per-device monthly subscription from commissioning until release. Lowercase, "interlock" also names the mechanism itself — the core enforcement idea of PreStartGo. The unit itself is marked SIM on its label.
Induction: A sign-off onto a site. A site induction gives a person access to the site; it can expire or be revoked. An equipment induction checks a machine onto a site, optionally against an induction checklist, and puts the machine under that site's rules for every pre-start. A machine is inducted at one site at a time.

K

Kiosk: A shared tablet at a site gate or yard entrance that shows a rotating, single-use QR code. Workers scan it with their own phones to check in to the site or to record toolbox-talk attendance. Pre-starts are never done on a kiosk; they are done in the mobile app. Kiosks come with the Builder plan.

L

Lead: A licence designation for a field worker who both supervises and services machines: it carries what a Supervisor and a Technician can each do in the mobile app, on one licence.
License: A licence lets a person with the mobile app operate equipment in one license group, using their phone number to sign in. Each licence carries a designation (Operator, Supervisor, Technician or Lead) that sets what they can do in the app, and runs from a start date to an optional end date. Its status is Pending, Not yet valid, Active, Expired, Revoked or Cancelled.
License Group: A group of machines of one kind, such as excavators or light vehicles. Every machine belongs to one, and every operator licence is for one. A group carries defaults for its machines, such as checklists, the pre-start timer and service intervals. The console lists them under License Groups.

M

MCP Server: PreStartGo's Model Context Protocol server. A read-only connection that lets AI assistants (such as Claude Desktop or Cursor) look up equipment, checks, defects, services, sites and telemetry. Part of the developer platform add-on (with the REST API and webhooks), which can be added to any paid plan.

O

Observation: A safety or environmental observation recorded on a site. Unlike defects (which are tied to specific equipment), observations are site-scoped and can report hazards, near-misses, or positive safety behaviours.
Out of Service: The console's label for a machine held by one of its defects: every pre-start on it fails until the hold is lifted. A failed critical item puts its defect's machine Out of Service automatically, and closing that defect lifts it. A Technician or Lead can also set Out of Service on a defect by hand; that hold stays until someone lifts it with Lift Out of Service, and closing the defect does not lift it.
Organisation: The top-level account in PreStartGo. An organisation owns equipment, employs users, manages sites, and holds the subscription. Each organisation's data is kept separate from every other organisation's.
OTA: Over-the-air updates: firmware updates sent over the internet. The Interlock has no internet connection, so it cannot be updated this way. It is built to be updated from the mobile app over Bluetooth; that is not available yet, so any firmware update is done by our team.

P

Pre-Start Inspection: The safety check an operator must complete before starting equipment. In PreStartGo, inspections are digital (completed on the mobile app) and guided by a checklist; on a machine with an Interlock, a passing pre-start is what unlocks it.

R

Region Home: The production region where an organisation's data is stored. Every organisation is hosted in Australia (australia-southeast1), with daily backups held in Australia. It is set when the organisation is created and can't be changed afterwards.
Relay: The electromechanical switch inside the Interlock that controls equipment start capability. When the relay is open, equipment cannot start. When closed, equipment can start. The relay defaults to closed (Fail-START design).

S

Service: A work order for equipment maintenance or repair, from Upcoming through In Progress to Completed, or Cancelled. A service can carry a service checklist, which the technician answers when completing it.
Service Due: A notice to an organisation's Administrators and Account Owner when a machine's service is coming up (Service due soon) or overdue (Service overdue), by engine hours or by date. It lands in their console notifications, and can also reach them by push and by email.
Service Mode: A maintenance state a Supervisor or Technician puts a machine into, so it can start without a standard inspection for maintenance or repair work. Entering it is signed with the person's identity and a reason. It survives power cycles and lasts until someone explicitly ends it.
SIM: The name printed on an Interlock — its label, and its certified model number PSG-SIM-2285. It is the same device: see Interlock. Nothing to do with a phone SIM card.
Site: A physical work location where equipment operates. Sites have their own safety roles (Worker, Officer, Manager), inductions, toolbox meetings, and compliance requirements.
Spot Check: An unannounced supervisory inspection of equipment or an operator's compliance. Spot checks are recorded in the audit trail and help ensure ongoing adherence to safety standards between regular inspections.
Spotter Confirmation: A dual-person verification requirement where a second person (the spotter) confirms their presence before equipment is unlocked. Confirmation is by Bluetooth proximity or a 6-digit spotter code; the code works fully offline.

T

TM: An earlier name for the Tracker, used in some older PreStartGo material — see Tracker.
Toolbox Meeting: A safety briefing held on-site, typically at the start of a shift. PreStartGo tracks meeting attendance, topics covered, and sign-offs. Attendance is recorded digitally with timestamps.
Tracker: A standalone LTE/GNSS tracker that reports position and telemetry to the live fleet map, with zone entry and exit, power-loss, and offline alerts. Fits alongside an Interlock or on tracking-only equipment, with no interlock of its own — it does not require an Interlock. Coming, and not on sale yet; it will be sold outright, plus a per-device monthly subscription for cellular tracking.

Z

Zone: An area drawn within a site, with one of four types. Exclusion: a pre-start inside it goes ahead, with a recorded warning. Restricted: a pre-start inside it is refused unless the operator holds the zone's required qualifications; one done offline and synced later is kept and flagged for review instead. Hazard: a pre-start goes ahead, with a recorded warning. Speed Limit: no effect on a pre-start. Zones are judged on the site host's rules, so a visiting contractor's operator is held to the site's requirements.

Glossary

Definitions for key terms and concepts used across the PreStartGo platform.

A

Audit Log: An immutable, append-only record of the changes made in the platform. Audit logs capture who did what and when — including inspections, defect reports, bypasses made from the app, and administrative changes. They cannot be modified or deleted.

B

BLE: Bluetooth Low Energy. The wireless protocol used for communication between the mobile app and the Interlock, with application-layer HMAC-SHA256 signatures for command authentication.
Bypass: An emergency override of the interlock, for a machine that has to move despite a failed critical item — into a workshop bay, off a ramp, away from a hazard. A bypass made in the app follows a failed pre-start, lasts at most three hours, and records the operator, their reason, the time and the location; the machine owner's Administrators and Account Owner are notified. The Interlock's 10-second button hold is recorded on the device only.

C

Check: A completed pre-start inspection. A check contains a series of responses to checklist items, and the overall result (pass or fail) determines whether the equipment is unlocked. Checks are immutable once submitted.
Checklist: A template defining the inspection items an operator must complete before starting equipment. Checklists are configured per equipment type and can include yes/no questions, numeric readings, photo evidence, and text responses.
Compliance: The state of meeting inspection and safety requirements. In PreStartGo, a machine counts as compliant while its last passing pre-start is still valid. Where an Interlock is fitted, it is designed to stop the machine starting until a pre-start passes. It is Fail-START, so a power loss or fault leaves the machine able to start, and it has a physical bypass control for emergencies: it backs up your safety process rather than replacing it.
Critical Item: A checklist item marked Critical. When a critical item fails on a pre-start, the pre-start fails and the machine is not unlocked, and the item's defect takes the machine Out of Service until that defect is closed. A critical item that fails on a service checklist does the same.

D

Defect: An issue identified during a pre-start inspection or a service. Defects follow a four-state lifecycle: REPORTED, ACKNOWLEDGED, RESOLVED, CLOSED. Repair logistics are tracked on a separate linked service record. A failed critical item's defect holds the machine until the defect is closed. A lockout a person sets by hand is separate: closing the defect does not lift it.
Digital Logbook: A public-facing web page for a piece of equipment, accessible by scanning its GoTag. It provides instant verification of the equipment's current compliance status, recent inspections, and open defects without requiring a login or app installation.

E

Equipment: A piece of equipment registered in PreStartGo. Equipment can be vehicles, machines, or any item that requires pre-start inspections. Each equipment record belongs to an organisation and can optionally have an Interlock, a Tracker and one or more GoTags assigned.
ESP32: The ESP32-C6 (RISC-V) microcontroller that powers the Interlock. It handles the Bluetooth link to the app, the relay, and the decision to lock or unlock.

F

Fail-START: The Interlock's safety posture: if it loses power or faults, its relay rests in the position that lets the machine start. A dead device never strands equipment in the field; a fault suspends enforcement, not the machine.
FCM: Firebase Cloud Messaging: the Google service that delivers PreStartGo's push notifications to phones, such as a critical defect, a geofence breach or a service coming due.

G

Geofence: A virtual geographic boundary configured around a site or zone, used for site check-in and compliance actions. Per-equipment live GPS tracking against a geofence arrives with the Tracker — see Tracker.
GoTag: A QR + NFC identity tag fitted to a piece of equipment. Operators scan it with the mobile app to identify equipment and start an inspection; anyone with a phone camera can scan it to view the public digital logbook. GoTags do not include interlock hardware on their own — pair one with an Interlock for physical enforcement.

H

HammerTech Integration: A planned two-way link with HammerTech: PreStartGo pre-starts would appear in HammerTech as inspections, and HammerTech issues would arrive in PreStartGo as defects. Still in development, and delivered through the integrations add-on, which can be added to any paid plan.

I

Interlock: PreStartGo's hardware interlock: a BLE-only device wired into a machine's starter or operator-presence circuit, designed to keep the machine from starting until a passing pre-start unlocks it from the mobile app. It is Fail-START: a power loss or fault leaves the machine able to start. It controls a relay and requires an operator with a phone within BLE range. IP57 rated, RCM certified (AU/NZ). Sold outright, with a 12-month warranty, plus a per-device monthly subscription from commissioning until release. Lowercase, "interlock" also names the mechanism itself — the core enforcement idea of PreStartGo. The unit itself is marked SIM on its label.
Induction: A sign-off onto a site. A site induction gives a person access to the site; it can expire or be revoked. An equipment induction checks a machine onto a site, optionally against an induction checklist, and puts the machine under that site's rules for every pre-start. A machine is inducted at one site at a time.

K

Kiosk: A shared tablet at a site gate or yard entrance that shows a rotating, single-use QR code. Workers scan it with their own phones to check in to the site or to record toolbox-talk attendance. Pre-starts are never done on a kiosk; they are done in the mobile app. Kiosks come with the Builder plan.

L

Lead: A licence designation for a field worker who both supervises and services machines: it carries what a Supervisor and a Technician can each do in the mobile app, on one licence.
License: A licence lets a person with the mobile app operate equipment in one license group, using their phone number to sign in. Each licence carries a designation (Operator, Supervisor, Technician or Lead) that sets what they can do in the app, and runs from a start date to an optional end date. Its status is Pending, Not yet valid, Active, Expired, Revoked or Cancelled.
License Group: A group of machines of one kind, such as excavators or light vehicles. Every machine belongs to one, and every operator licence is for one. A group carries defaults for its machines, such as checklists, the pre-start timer and service intervals. The console lists them under License Groups.

M

MCP Server: PreStartGo's Model Context Protocol server. A read-only connection that lets AI assistants (such as Claude Desktop or Cursor) look up equipment, checks, defects, services, sites and telemetry. Part of the developer platform add-on (with the REST API and webhooks), which can be added to any paid plan.

O

Observation: A safety or environmental observation recorded on a site. Unlike defects (which are tied to specific equipment), observations are site-scoped and can report hazards, near-misses, or positive safety behaviours.
Out of Service: The console's label for a machine held by one of its defects: every pre-start on it fails until the hold is lifted. A failed critical item puts its defect's machine Out of Service automatically, and closing that defect lifts it. A Technician or Lead can also set Out of Service on a defect by hand; that hold stays until someone lifts it with Lift Out of Service, and closing the defect does not lift it.
Organisation: The top-level account in PreStartGo. An organisation owns equipment, employs users, manages sites, and holds the subscription. Each organisation's data is kept separate from every other organisation's.
OTA: Over-the-air updates: firmware updates sent over the internet. The Interlock has no internet connection, so it cannot be updated this way. It is built to be updated from the mobile app over Bluetooth; that is not available yet, so any firmware update is done by our team.

P

Pre-Start Inspection: The safety check an operator must complete before starting equipment. In PreStartGo, inspections are digital (completed on the mobile app) and guided by a checklist; on a machine with an Interlock, a passing pre-start is what unlocks it.

R

Region Home: The production region where an organisation's data is stored. Every organisation is hosted in Australia (australia-southeast1), with daily backups held in Australia. It is set when the organisation is created and can't be changed afterwards.
Relay: The electromechanical switch inside the Interlock that controls equipment start capability. When the relay is open, equipment cannot start. When closed, equipment can start. The relay defaults to closed (Fail-START design).

S

Service: A work order for equipment maintenance or repair, from Upcoming through In Progress to Completed, or Cancelled. A service can carry a service checklist, which the technician answers when completing it.
Service Due: A notice to an organisation's Administrators and Account Owner when a machine's service is coming up (Service due soon) or overdue (Service overdue), by engine hours or by date. It lands in their console notifications, and can also reach them by push and by email.
Service Mode: A maintenance state a Supervisor or Technician puts a machine into, so it can start without a standard inspection for maintenance or repair work. Entering it is signed with the person's identity and a reason. It survives power cycles and lasts until someone explicitly ends it.
SIM: The name printed on an Interlock — its label, and its certified model number PSG-SIM-2285. It is the same device: see Interlock. Nothing to do with a phone SIM card.
Site: A physical work location where equipment operates. Sites have their own safety roles (Worker, Officer, Manager), inductions, toolbox meetings, and compliance requirements.
Spot Check: An unannounced supervisory inspection of equipment or an operator's compliance. Spot checks are recorded in the audit trail and help ensure ongoing adherence to safety standards between regular inspections.
Spotter Confirmation: A dual-person verification requirement where a second person (the spotter) confirms their presence before equipment is unlocked. Confirmation is by Bluetooth proximity or a 6-digit spotter code; the code works fully offline.

T

TM: An earlier name for the Tracker, used in some older PreStartGo material — see Tracker.
Toolbox Meeting: A safety briefing held on-site, typically at the start of a shift. PreStartGo tracks meeting attendance, topics covered, and sign-offs. Attendance is recorded digitally with timestamps.
Tracker: A standalone LTE/GNSS tracker that reports position and telemetry to the live fleet map, with zone entry and exit, power-loss, and offline alerts. Fits alongside an Interlock or on tracking-only equipment, with no interlock of its own — it does not require an Interlock. Coming, and not on sale yet; it will be sold outright, plus a per-device monthly subscription for cellular tracking.

Z

Zone: An area drawn within a site, with one of four types. Exclusion: a pre-start inside it goes ahead, with a recorded warning. Restricted: a pre-start inside it is refused unless the operator holds the zone's required qualifications; one done offline and synced later is kept and flagged for review instead. Hazard: a pre-start goes ahead, with a recorded warning. Speed Limit: no effect on a pre-start. Zones are judged on the site host's rules, so a visiting contractor's operator is held to the site's requirements.