Waste Company Fined for Unsafely Stockpiling Skips and Poor Site Segregation

Brief Summary

HSE prosecuted an employer in the waste and recycling sector after inspections identified multiple health and safety failures, including skips stacked dangerously three high, poor segregation of pedestrians and vehicles, and traffic management controls that were not effective or up to date. The employer had previously received enforcement action for similar risks.

What Was The Incident?

During an HSE inspection at a commercial estate site, inspectors observed vehicles and plant being driven around the yard without effective separation from pedestrians. The pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked, forcing pedestrians to use the same route used by lorries and other vehicles, with no designated pedestrian routes or crossing points. A visual traffic plan existed, but it was not visible to staff or visitors and had become out of date after site layout changes, meaning key pedestrian movements were not addressed, including access to toilets. Inspectors also found skips stacked unsafely, with some deformed and therefore more unstable. In places the stack height was three high, increasing the likelihood of a collapse or a falling skip. Skips were located in an area regularly accessed by workers on foot or in vehicles, putting people at risk if skips fell, and inspections noted the potential consequences could be catastrophic.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer pleaded guilty to two offences and was fined £167,000. It was also ordered to pay £16,195 in costs.

Key Points To Consider

Provide effective segregation for pedestrians and vehicles. Ensure pedestrians can move around the site using designated routes and crossing points so they are not forced to share vehicle areas.

Keep traffic management arrangements current and visible. A traffic plan is not enough if it is not visible to those on site and does not reflect the current site layout and key pedestrian movements.

Control reversal and plant movements with suitable precautions. Where large vehicles must reverse, consider additional precautions to protect people working nearby rather than relying on general arrangements.

Prevent unstable stacking of skips. Do not stack skips in a way that creates instability, especially where skips are deformed and stack height increases the risk of collapse or falling items.

Act urgently after enforcement and improvement notices. Where improvement notices and previous enforcement action show similar risks, ensure timely and effective corrective actions address the underlying legal duties rather than repeating failures.

HSE Prosecution Link