Waste Company Fined for Unsafe Skip Stockpiling and Poor Site Traffic Controls

Brief Summary

HSE found multiple failures at a waste and recycling site, including skips stacked three high and poor segregation of pedestrians from vehicle movements. The case highlights how quickly risk can become catastrophic when heavy materials are stored and when traffic management does not adequately protect people on foot. The employer previously faced enforcement action for similar issues.

What Was The Incident?

During an HSE visit in August 2022, inspectors observed vehicles moving freely around the site with no effective segregation of pedestrians from traffic. The pedestrian entrance was secured, forcing pedestrians to use the vehicle route, and there were no designated pedestrian routes or crossing points. Although a traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because site arrangements had changed, including key pedestrian movements such as access across the yard to toilets. HSE also found skips stacked unsafely, with some skips deformed, increasing instability. In places the stack was three high, which further increased the likelihood of collapse or a skip falling. The skips were located in an area regularly accessed by workers on foot or in vehicles.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer pleaded guilty to two offences under s33(1)(a) of the Act for failing to comply with duties under Sections 2 and 3 by putting people on site at risk of death or serious personal injury. It was fined £167,000 and ordered to pay £16,195 in costs. HSE noted that prohibition notices had previously been served in 2019 relating to stockpiling and the risk of collapse, and further improvement notices were served after the initial HSE concerns.

Key Points To Consider

Maintain safe pedestrian and vehicle segregation. Plan and implement clear separation so pedestrians are not funnelled into vehicle routes and so there are designated pedestrian routes and crossing points where vehicles operate.

Keep traffic management information current and visible. A traffic plan is not enough on its own. Ensure site plans are visible to staff and visitors and are updated when site layouts change, including access routes such as paths to facilities.

Control the stacking of heavy waste skips. Treat skip stockpiling as a serious hazard. Ensure stacking arrangements prevent collapse and account for factors such as deformation and excessive height, particularly where falls could affect people.

Remove high consequence risks from places people regularly access. Do not store unstable or potentially falling loads in areas that workers access frequently on foot or by vehicle, because this makes injury from falling objects far more likely.

Act promptly on enforcement history and improvement notices. Where previous enforcement action has already identified similar shortcomings, improvements must be made quickly and effectively within the required timescales, with risks reassessed after changes to site operations.

HSE Prosecution Link