Waste Company Fined After Unsafe Skip Stacking and Poor Traffic Control

Brief Summary

HSE found multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including skips stacked three high and poor separation between vehicles and pedestrians. Despite having a visual traffic plan, it was not visible, was out of date, and did not cover key pedestrian movements. The company had previously faced enforcement related to skip stockpiling and collapse risks, but relevant duties were still not met.

What Was The Incident?

On the day of the HSE visit, inspectors observed vehicles, including tipper lorries and loading shovels, being driven around the site with no effective segregation between pedestrians and vehicles. The pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked, forcing pedestrians to use a route intended for lorries and other vehicles. HSE also found that the company had a traffic plan, but it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because the site layout had changed. It did not address key pedestrian movements such as access across the yard to toilets. In addition, skips were stacked unsafely, with some deformed and stacked in an area regularly accessed by workers. The stack height was three high in places, increasing the risk of collapse or falling, and the skips were positioned where people were likely to be harmed if they fell.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer pleaded guilty to two offences under section 33(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 also noted that improvement notices were issued following an initial visit and a further visit took place after 11 days to check progress.

Key Points To Consider

Segregate pedestrians and vehicles effectively. Organise site movement so that people walking on site do not share routes with moving vehicles, and ensure there are clearly defined pedestrian routes and crossings where appropriate.

Keep traffic plans current and visible. A visual traffic plan must be accessible to staff and visitors and updated when the site layout changes, including routes to common destinations such as toilets.

Control risks from reversing and vehicle movement. Where large vehicles must reverse or operate around people, employers must identify the risks and put additional precautions in place to protect those working nearby.

Prevent collapse risks from skip stockpiling. Do not stack skips in a way that increases instability, including avoiding excessive stacking height and ensuring skips are not deformed or otherwise unsafe for storage.

Act on previous enforcement and improvement notices. If enforcement action has already identified similar hazards, ensure corrective actions are completed and sustained, not just addressed within the timescale on paper.

HSE Prosecution Link