A seatbelt takes two seconds to fasten. Skipping it cost one worker a broken foot and ankle and cost his employer £24,824 in fines and costs. Shortcuts on site protection and PPE are not shortcuts at all. They are a fast track to serious injury and a court date.
What Happened
On 10 October 2022, a 27-year-old operator was reversing a one-tonne dumper truck on a housing site in Ince, near Wigan, when it entered an unprotected excavation and overturned. Not wearing a seatbelt, the operator was thrown from the vehicle, breaking his foot and ankle.
A HSE investigation found something worse than an oversight: The Company, Jim Yates Limited, had instructed workers not to wear seatbelts on these dumpers. Operators buckled the belt behind them and sat on top of it, disabling the warning system and faking correct use. Excavations on site were also not adequately protected.
Jim Yates & Sons Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. On 14 July 2026, Warrington Magistrates’ Court fined the company £20,000 plus £4,824 in costs.
HSE Inspector Seve Gomez-Aspron said:
“This incident was entirely foreseeable and could have been prevented. Operators should never be instructed not to wear a seat belt.”
Could This Happen in Your Business?
- Are operators consistently wearing seatbelts?
- Could vehicles gain access to excavations or other ground hazards?
- Are supervisors actively monitoring compliance and correcting unsafe behaviours?
- Have workplace transport risk assessments been reviewed recently?