Around 30 new JCB machines entering the Select Plant Hire fleet are passing through an installation programme for additional safety technology.
Xwatch announced on 17 September 2026 that the programme forms part of Select’s wider £5 million equipment investment. The new fleet includes tracked and reduced-tailswing excavators, 9-tonne dual-drive dumpers and Loadall telehandlers.
On excavators, the supplier says its systems can provide height and slew limitation alongside rated-capacity indication. A connected platform is also being developed to bring information such as location, operating hours, faults and safety settings into the fleet record.
These functions may provide useful additional control, particularly for hired plant moving between sites. They do not make every configuration automatically safe. A different attachment, machine position or lifting duty can change what the excavator may safely do.
Why configurable controls matter
Excavators can present several hazards at once. A boom or attachment may approach an overhead obstruction, the upper structure can slew towards people or fixed objects, and lifting capacity changes with radius, configuration and ground conditions.
HSE’s excavator guidance identifies moving, slewing and working equipment as causes of fatal and serious injuries. It requires suitable machine selection, pedestrian segregation, competent operators, adequate visibility and proper inspection and maintenance.
A height or slew limiter can support those controls by restricting part of the machine’s working envelope. Rated-capacity indication can provide information during lifting. Neither replaces the site assessment, exclusion zone, lift plan or operator’s responsibility to stop when conditions are unsafe.
Seven checks whenever plant changes site
1. Define the hazard before setting a limit
Do not begin with a number copied from the previous job.
Survey the new working area and identify:
- Overhead lines, bridges, ceilings and temporary works
- Buildings, scaffolds and fixed structures
- Public roads and adjacent occupied areas
- Excavation edges and unstable ground
- Pedestrian routes and delivery areas
- Other plant operating nearby
- Changes in level across the machine’s working position
The safe envelope must reflect where the whole machine and attachment can travel. Where power lines are involved, follow the network operator’s and site’s requirements; a generic height setting is not permission to work close to electrical infrastructure.
2. Confirm who may create or alter settings
The handover should name the competent person authorised to set and verify the system.
Operators need to understand the display, warnings, controlled movements and correct response when a limit is reached. They must also know whether settings are protected by a key, code or supervisor control.
Prevent casual alteration. If everybody can change a limit without recording why, the fleet may have technology fitted but no dependable control.
The briefing should cover any override or recovery function so it does not become a way to continue routine work outside the agreed envelope.
3. Match the system to the exact machine configuration
Record the machine, attachment and duty before relying on the displayed information.
Relevant changes may include:
- Bucket, breaker, grab or lifting accessory
- Boom or dipper arrangement
- Quick-hitch type
- Track position and machine orientation
- Added guarding or other equipment
- Ground slope and bearing capacity
- Load radius and planned lifting duty
For lifting work, obtain the correct load information for the actual configuration. A rated-capacity indicator is not a substitute for a properly planned operation.
HSE explains that excavators used for lifting must be suitable for the task and thoroughly examined by a competent person. Additional safety devices are required, and lifting operations remain subject to the relevant planning and supervision duties.
4. Test the limits in a controlled area
After installation or a setting change, check the system before productive work begins.
The test should confirm that:
- The displayed machine and duty are correct.
- The height restriction corresponds with the planned envelope.
- Slew boundaries are on the correct side and at the correct position.
- Warnings can be seen and heard by the operator.
- Movement slows or stops in the intended manner.
- The machine can move safely away from the restriction.
- Settings remain active after an appropriate restart check.
Carry out the test away from people and hazards. Do not prove a height limit by moving close to a live overhead line or fragile structure.
Record who completed the test, when it was carried out and any defect or unexpected response.
5. Retain the physical site controls
An electronic boundary does not create pedestrian segregation.
HSE says people should be kept away from excavator operating areas using suitable barriers. Where the machine slews near an obstruction, clearance must be considered, and a trained plant and vehicle marshaller may be required from a protected position.
Maintain:
- Barriers and exclusion zones
- A suitable traffic plan
- Clear pedestrian routes
- Adequate lighting and visibility aids
- Safe clearance around the machine
- Ground inspections and edge protection
- Effective communication between operator and signaller
If the physical layout changes during the shift, reassess the electronic settings as well.
6. Include the system in daily checks and defect reporting
Add the fitted safety equipment to the machine’s documented inspection process.
The operator should check for damaged sensors, loose components, obscured displays, warning messages and settings that do not match the task. Cab controls and screens should remain clean and visible.
Any seat cover or other cab accessory must suit the actual seat and must not obstruct the belt, operator-presence system, controls, adjustment or access to safety equipment. Farm Packs supplies heavy-duty excavator and digger seat covers for working cabs, but selection should be based on the real seat configuration.
Cab protection may make routine cleaning easier. It does not replace a pre-use inspection or make a defective machine safe.
7. Complete an end-of-hire and next-site handover
When a machine leaves the job, record its condition and the status of its settings.
The receiving depot or next site should be told:
- Which system is fitted
- Which restrictions were active
- Who last changed or tested them
- Whether warnings, overrides or faults were recorded
- Which attachment and lifting duty were configured
- Whether the settings must be cleared and rebuilt for the next task
Connected data may help managers identify faults and setting changes. Treat it as evidence for review, not proof that every operation was safe.
Make the handover as important as the hardware
Select Plant Hire’s latest investment shows safety technology becoming part of the specification for major hire fleets, rather than an occasional site addition.
The potential benefit is consistency: familiar controls can remain with the machine as it moves between projects. The risk is assuming that fitted technology is self-managing.
Before each job, define the hazard, configure the exact machine, test the limits and brief the operator. Keep the exclusion zones, lift planning, maintenance and supervision that would be required without the system.
The hardware travels with the excavator. The safe working envelope must be rebuilt for every site.
This article provides general information and does not replace a site-specific risk assessment, lift plan, manufacturer instructions, competent training or official health and safety guidance.
Sources
Xwatch Safety Solutions: Select Plant Hire expands safety technology across fleet investment — 17 September 2026
Highways Today: Xwatch safety technology moves into fleet specification — 18 September 2026
HSE: Excavators — overview — accessed 19 September 2026
HSE: Excavators and lifting operations — accessed 19 September 2026
