Waste Company Fined After Dangerous Skip Stockpiling and Poor Vehicle Pedestrian Control

Brief Summary

The HSE found multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including poor separation between vehicles and pedestrians and skips stacked three high in areas accessed by workers. The company had already been subject to enforcement action for stockpiling and collapse risk. It pleaded guilty to two offences and was fined and ordered to pay costs.

What Was The Incident?

During an HSE visit in August 2022, inspectors observed vehicles and loading equipment being driven around the site with pedestrians forced to use the vehicle route. The pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked and there were no effective designated pedestrian routes or crossing points. While a visual traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because site arrangements had changed, so it did not address key pedestrian movements such as access across the yard to toilets. Inspectors also found skips stacked unsafely, with some deformed, and piled three high in places, increasing the likelihood of collapse or falling. The unsafe stacking was in an area regularly accessed by workers on foot or in vehicles, creating a risk of skips falling onto people.

What Was The Outcome?

Following service of improvement notices and a further visit, the investigation found the company had previously received prohibition notices in 2019 relating to stockpiling and risks of collapse. The employer pleaded guilty to two offences and was fined £167,000, with £16,195 ordered to be paid in costs.

Key Points To Consider

Segregate pedestrians and vehicles so routes are safe. Ensure pedestrian routes and crossing points are clearly planned and provided so people do not have to use the same circulation space as lorries and other plant, especially where vehicle movements are frequent.

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

Control reversing and vehicle movement with additional precautions. Where large vehicles must reverse or operate near people, put in place appropriate additional measures to protect those working nearby.

Prevent hazardous stockpiling by addressing stability risks. Treat skip and storage stability as a key risk, including damaged or deformed skips and stack height, because collapse or falling consequences can be severe.

Act promptly on enforcement and past compliance failures. If enforcement action has already highlighted legal duties, review and improve controls urgently rather than relying on plans that do not work in practice or do not meet the risks identified.

HSE Prosecution Link