On the 24 October 2023, the employee of Salford Grab Hire Limited was assisting a colleague in repairing a broken lifting mechanism on a tipper truck body. A JCB was being used to prop up the tipper body in the raised position when the one-tonne bucket became dislodged and fell.

The worker suffered multiple fractures to his hand, shoulder blade, ribs, shin and thigh, as well as a crushed ankle and foot. He also developed a blood clot in his lungs as a result of the incident.

An HSE investigation found that Salford Grab Hire Limited had not used appropriate equipment to support the tipper body during repairs. The bucket being used to prop up the body did not have a quick hitch or retaining pin, causing it to become dislodged and fall.

Salford Grab Hire Limited of Tyldesley, Manchester pleaded guilty to safety breaches and was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,475.90 at Warrington Magistrates’ Court.

HSE Inspector Rose Leese-Weller said: “Every year we see serious and sometimes fatal injuries to people working under a poorly propped vehicle body. Employers must not underestimate the risks involved and must ensure that appropriate equipment and systems of work are used when undertaking such work.”