Waste Company Fined After Unsafe Skip Stacking And Poor Vehicle Pedestrian Separation

Brief Summary

The HSE found multiple serious health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including poor segregation of pedestrians and vehicles and skips stockpiled in a way that increased the risk of collapse. The company had been subject to enforcement action previously, but did not address key risks effectively, leading to a guilty plea and a fine.

What Was The Incident?

HSE inspectors visited the site and observed that vehicles and plant were driven around freely, while the pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked. Pedestrians were forced to use the same route as lorries and other vehicles, with no effective segregation using designated pedestrian routes or crossing points. Although there was a visual traffic plan, it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date due to changes to the site layout, including routes to access toilets. Inspectors also found skips stacked unsafely, with some skips deformed and stacked up to three high in places. The risks were increased by the stacking height and by the location of the stack in an area regularly accessed by workers on foot or in vehicles.

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 served improvement notices and previously served prohibition notices in 2019 relating to skip stockpiling and collapse risks.

Key Points To Consider

Provide effective segregation of pedestrians and vehicles. Do not rely on ad hoc routes where pedestrians are directed to share vehicle paths, and ensure there are clear designated pedestrian routes and crossing points where needed.

Keep traffic management plans visible and current. A visual traffic plan must be clearly available to those on site and updated when the site layout or movement patterns change so it covers key pedestrian movements.

Prevent skip collapse by controlling stacking arrangements. Manage skip storage to avoid unsafe stacking height and instability, including addressing deformed skips that add to the likelihood of collapse.

Use location controls to reduce exposure to collapse risk. Do not place high risk stockpiles in areas regularly accessed by workers on foot or in vehicles, since this increases the consequences of any falling or collapse.

Act on previous enforcement and improvement notices. Where enforcement history shows similar risks exist, ensure corrective actions are implemented effectively and within required timescales rather than repeating the same unsafe practices.

HSE Prosecution Link