Waste Company Fined After Dangerous Skip Stockpiling and Vehicle Pedestrian Risks

Brief Summary

HSE found serious health and safety failings at a waste and recycling site, including unsafe skip stacking up to three high in areas used by workers and poor segregation between vehicles and pedestrians. Following earlier enforcement action and improvement notices, the employer pleaded guilty to offences and was fined.

What Was The Incident?

On an HSE visit, inspectors observed vehicles and loading equipment being driven freely across the site, while pedestrian access was blocked by a chained and padlocked entrance. Pedestrians were forced to use a route used by lorries and other vehicles, with no effective segregation through designated pedestrian routes or crossing points. HSE also identified skips stacked unsafely, including stacks that were three high in places, some of which were deformed, increasing instability. The skips were located in areas regularly accessed by workers on foot or in vehicles, creating a significant risk of skips falling. Although a visual traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because the site layout had changed, and it did not cover key pedestrian movements, including access across the yard to toilets. Improvement notices were served requiring actions to address the breaches.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer pleaded guilty to two offences under s33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined £167,000 and ordered to pay £16,195 in costs. HSE noted the company had previously received prohibition notices in 2019 relating to stockpiling and risks of collapse.

Key Points To Consider

Ensure pedestrians and vehicles are properly segregated. Where vehicles operate and reversing is required, do not rely on barriers alone. Use designated pedestrian routes and crossing arrangements so pedestrians are not funneled into vehicle routes.

Keep traffic management information current and visible. A traffic plan must be visible to people on site, including visitors, and it must be updated when the site layout changes so it covers actual pedestrian movement routes.

Control skip storage to prevent collapse and falling objects. Review stacking height, condition and stability. Deformed skips and excessive stacking height increase the likelihood of collapse and the harm that falling material can cause.

Avoid storing hazards in areas regularly used by people. Do not place stored materials where workers regularly pass by on foot or where vehicles operate, unless effective controls are in place to manage the falling risk.

Act on enforcement history and improvement notices quickly and fully. If there has been prior enforcement for the same type of failing, treat improvement notices as a prompt to implement lasting changes, not just short term fixes, and verify they work in practice.

HSE Prosecution Link