There is a manufacturing fault on the swivel shackle on the widely used Abaco Little Giant forklift boom lifter. The product is being recalled and anyone who has a Little Giant should return the shackle to the supplier they bought it from for a free replacement.

The Abaco Little Giant is available from various machinery and accessory suppliers to the stone industry in the UK and Abaco also sells them all over the World. The fault applies to those made between 1 January this year and 15 May. Any now being sold should have been fitted with replacement shackles by the distributor. The faulty shackles are not obviously different from non-faulty ones.

Abaco is an American company, although the component is made in Vietnam. The manufacturer has not made the component to the American's design, which only came to light when a customer contacted Abaco about it in the USA. The problem is that the top bolt can work itself undone, so the lifting gear and anything it is carrying would fall from the forklift. Abaco is offering free replacements that will not come apart.

The swivel shackle is sold as a replacement part that would normally cost £50-£70, depending where you bought it.

Lifting equipment should always be checked before it is used and there is a legal requirement to have it serviced every year in the UK.