Waste Company Fined After Skips Stockpiled Three High

Brief Summary

HSE fined a waste and recycling company after it identified multiple health and safety failures at a site, including skips stacked three high in areas where people regularly worked and ineffective separation between pedestrians and vehicles. The case also highlighted that the site’s traffic management arrangements were out of date and did not reflect key pedestrian routes.

What Was The Incident?

During an HSE visit on 11 August 2022, inspectors found vehicles and loading equipment being driven around the site, with pedestrians being forced to use the same route as lorries because the pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked. Inspectors concluded that there was no effective segregation using designated pedestrian routes or crossing points. Although a visual traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because site layouts had changed, so it did not cover important pedestrian movements such as access across the yard to toilets. Inspectors also found skips stacked unsafely, with some deformed and stacked three high in places. The height and instability increased the likelihood of collapse or items falling, and the skips were stored in an area regularly accessed by workers on foot or by vehicle.

What Was The Outcome?

The company pleaded guilty to two offences. It was fined £167,000 and ordered to pay £16,195 in costs. HSE had previously served prohibition notices in 2019 relating to skip stockpiling and collapse risks, and further improvement notices were served after the 2022 findings with action required within a specified timescale.

Key Points To Consider

Ensure pedestrians and vehicles are effectively separated. Organise circulation so that people walking around the site have safe routes and crossing points, and avoid forcing pedestrians onto vehicle routes.

Keep traffic management arrangements visible and up to date. A traffic plan only helps if it is accessible to staff and visitors and reflects the current site layout and pedestrian movement needs.

Do not allow unsafe stacking of heavy items. Where large skips are stacked, control stacking arrangements so that deformation and excessive height do not create an increased risk of collapse or falling.

Reassess risk where stored equipment is in regular use areas. Avoid placing unstable or hazardous storage in locations routinely accessed by workers either on foot or by vehicle.

Respond properly to past enforcement and improvement notices. If enforcement action has previously identified similar issues, ensure changes are implemented within required timescales and address the underlying legal duties, not just immediate symptoms.

HSE Prosecution Link