1 in 7 Workplace Fatalities Involve Moving Vehicles
Across five years from 2020 - 2025, being struck by a moving vehicle accounted for around 15% of all worker deaths, and HSE says the fatal injury rate has stayed broadly flat for about the last 10 years.
Spigot, Magnetic or Bolt-On? The Beacon Buying Guide
The Beacon Buying Guide Plant Hire Needs
For most plant hire fleets, a flexi spigot mount is the right beacon choice. Magnetic beacons suit vans and shared use, and single bolt beacons suit fixed, owned plant. That is not just our opinion. Across more than 4,000 beacons ordered through HTS Spares between August and October 2026, just over half were spigot mount.
The mount decides how fast a beacon can be swapped, whether it survives a low-loader trip and whether it is still on the machine next week. Get it right and you cut call-outs, lost beacons and failed site inspections. Here is how to choose.
Beacon mounts at a glance
Spigot mounts lead on popularity, magnetic mounts on flexibility and bolt mounts on security.
| Range | Flexi spigot (DIN) | Magnetic | Single bolt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share of beacons ordered | 52% | 31% | 17% |
| Popularity | Most popular | High | Medium |
| Fitting | Pushes into a spigot base, held by a clamp | Sits on any flat steel roof | Fixed through one central bolt |
| Removal | Seconds, no tools | Seconds, no tools | Spanner needed |
| Theft risk | Medium | High | Low |
| Survives knocks | Yes, the flexi base bends | Can slide or tip | Yes, if bolted to solid metal |
| Best for | Hire fleets, dumpers, rollers | Vans, pick-ups, shared or temporary use | Owned plant, fixed cabs |
| Our best sellers | HEL0731 amber | HEL0734 amber | HEL1886 green micro |
Source: HTS Spares sales orders, 2026, beacon units only.
Spigot Mount Beacons: The Plant Hire Default
A spigot beacon slots into a DIN-style socket on the cab or ROPS and lifts out in seconds. That makes it ideal for machines that travel on low-loaders, go through a wash bay or come back from hire needing a quick swap.
- Pros: fast to fit and remove, flexi base bends rather than snaps, easy to standardise across a fleet
- Cons: the spigot base wears and corrodes, so keep spares
- Best sellers: Centaur LED Amber Flexi Spigot Beacons - HEL0731 Amber / HEL0768 Green Compact Micro LED Spigot Beacons - HEL1831 Amber / HEL1868 Green / HEL1841 Purple
Pro tips:
Magnetic Beacons: Flexible, but watch the roof!
A magnetic beacons need no fixing at all. They sits on a flat steel surface and connects by plug and lead. Our Magnetic Centaur LED Beacons come with a Dual purpose plug, allowing connection to either a standard 12V accessory socket or a DIN-style socket for quick and convenient use.
- Pros: no drilling, perfect for vans, pick-ups and machines used only now and then on the road
- Cons: no grip on aluminium or GRP cab roofs, can slide on rough ground and is the easiest beacon to walk off site
- Best sellers: The LED Magnetic Mount Beacon - HEL0734 Amber / HEL0770 Green
The low-profile Micro LED Magnetic Beacon - HEL1834 Amber / HEL1864 Green
If a magnetic beacon is going on site plant every day, consider whether a spigot would serve you better.
Single Bolt Beacons: Fit and Forget
A single bolt beacon is fixed through one central hole and wired in permanently. It is the most secure option and the hardest to lose.
- Pros: low theft risk, no loose parts, tidy permanent wiring
- Cons: needs a spanner to remove, so it is not ideal if the beacon must come off for transport height
- Best sellers: The Green Micro LED Single Bolt Beacon - HEL1886
The Green LED Single Bolt Beacon - HEL0771
The Amber LED Single Bolt Beacon - HEL0736
Bolt mounts make most sense on owned plant that stays with one operator, such as a contractor's own excavator or telehandler.
Which mount for which machine?
Use this as a starting point, then check the mounting surface on the machine itself.
| Machine | Recommended mount | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Site dumpers (forward and swivel tip) | Flexi spigot | Takes knocks, lifts off for transport, direct JCB swap with HEL0731 |
| Rollers and compactors | Flexi spigot | Quick removal on hire returns and low-loaders |
| Mini and midi excavators | Micro spigot or single bolt | Micro keeps transport height low, bolt suits owned machines |
| Telehandlers and loaders | Single bolt or spigot | Permanent fit on owned plant, spigot on hire fleets |
| Vans, pick-ups and escort vehicles | Magnetic | No drilling, moves between vehicles |
| Tractors and towed kit on the road | Spigot or magnetic, ECE R65 | Road use needs an approved amber beacon |
Amber, green or both?
Every mount comes in amber and green, and our customers order the two in almost equal measure. Amber warns of a slow or hazardous vehicle. Green shows the operator is wearing their seat belt.
On the road: Highway Code Rule 225 says vehicles with a top speed of 25mph or less, such as tractors, must show a flashing amber beacon on unrestricted dual carriageways (The Highway Code, GOV.UK). Choose an ECE R65-approved beacon for road use.
On site: many principal contractors require a green beacon wired to the seat belt. In a recent HSE case, a dumper operator was thrown out in an overturn after his employer told staff not to wear belts, and buckled belts had been sat on to fool the warning system (Fleet News). Our Essential Green Beacon Kits come in spigot, magnetic and bolt versions, each with a switched seat belt.
Beacon mount FAQs
What is the best beacon mount for plant hire? A flexi spigot (DIN) mount. It is quick to remove for transport and hire returns, and the flexible base survives knocks.
What is the difference between spigot, magnetic and bolt beacons? Spigot beacons push into a socket, magnetic beacons sit on a steel roof, and bolt beacons are fixed through one central hole. Choose by how often the beacon needs to come off.
Will a magnetic beacon stay on at speed? On a clean, flat steel roof, yes for normal road use. It will not hold on aluminium or plastic roofs, so fit a spigot or bolt mount there.
Can I change a bolt beacon to a spigot beacon? Usually, yes. A bolt-on spigot base, such as HEL1768 or HEL0201, lets the machine take DIN spigot beacons. Check the mounting hole and surface first, or call us to confirm.
Are your beacons 12V or 24V? Our best-selling Centaur and micro LED beacons are dual voltage 12/24V, so one part suits most plant and vans.
Kitting out a whole fleet? Call our team on 01432 373350 or email info@htsspares.com and we will match the right mount to every machine.
Further reading and sources
More from HTS Spares
- The True Cost of Cheap Plant Spares: Lessons from the Field - why a cheap beacon can cost more in downtime
- Plant Tag: The Importance of Tagging Plant and Machinery with Status Labels - another quick win for site visibility
- Micro LED Beacons leaflet
- GBS-i Green Beacon System information pack
- Apollo Premium LED Beacons - Swiss-made, in spigot, magnetic and bolt versions
External sources
