Plant hire company fined £10,000 after employee struck by falling JCB bucket

A plant hire company has been fined £10,000 after a one tonne JCB bucket fell on a mechanic in October 2023 while he was helping to repair a tipper truck. The investigation found the company had failed to use appropriate equipment to support the raised tipper body. 

What happened? 

On 24 October 2023, a mechanic employed by Salford Grab Hire Limited suffered life-changing injuries while helping to repair a broken lifting mechanism on a tipper truck. The truck body had been raised, and, instead of using properly designed props or supports, a JCB bucket weighing around one tonne was used to hold the tipper body in position. 

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Salford Grab Hire Limited hadn’t used appropriate equipment to support the tipper body during repairs. The bucket being used to prop up the body didn’t have a quick hitch or retaining pin, causing it to become dislodged and fall onto the mechanic.  

The impact caused multiple fractures to his hand, ribs, shoulder blade, shin, and thigh, as well as severely crushing his ankle and foot. He also developed a blood clot in his lungs as a complication of the trauma. 

Investigation findings 

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated and found several significant failings: 

1. Inappropriate equipment used to support the tipper body 

The JCB bucket wasn’t designed, nor safe, for propping elevated loads. Because it didn’t have a retaining mechanism (quick hitch or pin), it was vulnerable to movement and becoming dislodged. 

2. Failure to follow established HSE guidance 

HSE guidance for motor vehicle repair clearly states that elevated vehicle load areas must be effectively propped using equipment designed to carry the loads. Additionally: 

• Props must be used only on firm, level ground. 

• They must be purpose-built to manage dynamic and static loads associated with raised vehicle bodies. 

3. Inadequate risk management 

The company failed to: 

• Identify the risks associated with working beneath a raised tipper body 

• Implement safe systems of work 

• Provide appropriate lifting and support equipment 

On 27 January 2026 Salford Grab Hire Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,475.90 at Warrington Magistrates’ Court. 

Key lessons for employees 

1. Never work under a poorly supported load: Workers should never enter or work beneath a raised vehicle body unless it’s supported by properly designed props that lock into place and are rated for the load. 
2. Check that equipment is designed for the task: Buckets, blades, forks, and improvised supports must never be used as load supports. Only purpose-built mechanical props or hydraulic locks should be used. 
3. Report unsafe practices immediately: If equipment or methods look unsafe, employees have a legal right and moral obligation to raise the concern with supervisors or safety advisors. 
4.  Follow safe systems of work: Employers should always make sure: 

• A proper risk assessment for the job has been completed. 

• A clear safe system of work exists for maintenance under raised bodies. 

• You’re trained and competent to undertake the task safely. 

 

PUWER & Health and Safety in Motor Vehicle Repair guidance 

This incident directly links to several core PUWER (The Provision of use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998) and Motor Vehicle Repair (MVR) requirements that apply to any workplace equipment and machinery. 

PUWER 

• Suitability of Work Equipment – Regulation 4: Requires employers to make sure that any work equipment they provide is safe and suitable for the specific task and conditions in which it’s used 

• Maintenance – Regulation 5: Requires employees to make sure equipment is maintained, efficient, kept in good repair, and regularly inspected if safety depends on the condition of the equipment. 

• Inspection – Regulation 6: Requires employers to make sure that work equipment is inspected at suitable intervals so that any deterioration or defects that could make it unsafe are identified before anyone gets hurt. 

 MVR 

Under the MVR, guidance around working under raised vehicles, or supporting raised vehicle bodies, states that elevated vehicle load areas must be supported with properly designed props. These include safety stands, or mechanical locks, which must be used on a firm, stable, level ground.