Waste Company Fined After Unsafe Skip Stockpiling and Poor Traffic Segregation

Brief Summary

HSE enforcement found multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including poor segregation between pedestrians and vehicle routes and skips stockpiled three high in areas accessed by workers. The company pleaded guilty and was fined, with costs awarded.

What Was The Incident?

HSE visited a waste and recycling site to assess traffic management and site safety arrangements. Inspectors observed vehicles such as tipper lorries and loading shovels being driven around the site, with the pedestrian entrance chained and padlocked. Pedestrians were forced to use the vehicle entrance route used by lorries and other vehicles, and there were no effective segregated 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 Although a visual traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because the site layout had changed. Inspectors also found skips stacked unsafely, with some skips deformed. The stack height was three high in places, increasing the likelihood of collapse or a falling skip. Skips were stored in an area regularly accessed by workers, on foot or in vehicles, leaving people at risk if a stack shifted or collapsed.

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 for failures under section 2 and section 3 that put people on site at risk of death or serious personal injury. The company was fined £167,000 and ordered to pay £16,195 in costs.

Key Points To Consider

Physically separate people and vehicles. Ensure pedestrians have designated routes and crossing points so they are not funneled into vehicle routes, especially where reversing and manoeuvring are involved.

Keep traffic plans current and usable. A traffic plan must be visible to staff and visitors and updated when the site layout changes so it reflects actual pedestrian movements and vehicle routes.

Control the stability of stored skips and other large items. Do not stack skips in a way that increases collapse risk, particularly where deformation is present and where height creates an unacceptable instability risk.

Do not store high risk items where people pass. Avoid placing dangerously stacked skips in areas that workers regularly access on foot or by vehicle.

Previous enforcement should drive immediate improvement. Where there has been earlier enforcement and prohibition notices about similar risks, ensure corrective actions are implemented and verified rather than relying on existing arrangements.

HSE Prosecution Link