On June 25, 2025, Liverpool Magistrates’ Court fined Car Spa & Tyres Ltd £40,000 and ordered them to pay £20,000 in costs following a severe incident on November 23, 2022. A 56-year-old mechanic suffered multiple severe fractures, including a broken leg, spine, ribs, and pelvis, when a car fell from a two-post lift at the company’s Kensington garage. The mechanic was crushed while on a break, praying.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that Car Spa & Tyres Ltd failed to implement a safe system of work and provide sufficient training for the proper and safe operation of lifting equipment. Specifically, the swivel arms on one of the lifting columns were not locked into position, directly leading to the vehicle’s collapse.
The victim spent four months in the hospital and is now highly dependent on others for daily tasks, with little prospect of returning to work. HSE Inspector David Bellis emphasised that the incident was entirely preventable had the company ensured proper training and a suitable system of work. Car Spa & Tyres Ltd was found guilty of breaching Regulation 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Guidance on working safely in the motor vehicle repair industry and the safe use of lifting equipment can be found at:
L113: Safe use of lifting equipment (hse.gov.uk) (PDF)
Health and safety in motor vehicle repair and associated industries (hse.gov.uk) (PDF)