Waste Company Fined After Dangerous Skip Stockpiling and Poor Traffic Management

Brief Summary

A waste and recycling company in south east London was prosecuted following HSE findings of poor traffic management, unsafe skip stockpiling, and inadequate control of risks to people on site. The case highlights the need for effective pedestrian and vehicle segregation and for robust arrangements to prevent collapse hazards from stored skips.

What Was The Incident?

During an HSE visit to a waste and recycling site in August 2022, inspectors observed vehicles and loading equipment moving freely around the yard. The pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked, forcing pedestrians to use the same route as lorries and other vehicles. Inspectors found there was no effective segregation through designated 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 Although a visual traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because site arrangements had changed, so it did not cover key pedestrian movements such as access to toilets. Inspectors also found skips stacked in an unsafe way. Some skips were deformed, skips were piled three high in places, and the height increased the likelihood of collapse or falling. The skips were placed in an area regularly accessed by workers on foot or in vehicles, creating a significant risk of people being struck if a skip collapsed.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer pleaded guilty to two offences. It was fined 167,000 and ordered to pay 16,195 in costs. HSE had already served multiple improvement notices following the initial findings and the investigation confirmed prior enforcement action, including prohibition notices served in 2019 relating to stockpiling and risks of collapse.

Key Points To Consider

Provide effective segregation between pedestrians and vehicles. Ensure designated pedestrian routes and crossing points are clearly planned and actually used so people are not channelled into the same areas as lorries and loading vehicles.

Keep traffic management arrangements up to date and communicated. A plan that is out of date or not visible to staff or visitors will not provide meaningful control, particularly when site layouts and movement routes change.

Control stored skip stability and collapse risks. Treat skip stockpiling as a collapse hazard, especially where skips are deformed, stacked to greater heights, or located where workers regularly pass on foot or by vehicle.

Use additional precautions where reversing or vehicle movements create heightened risk. Where large vehicles must reverse or move around people, employers should assess the risk and implement extra precautions to protect those working nearby.

Act promptly on enforcement history and improvement notices. If a business has previously been warned about legal duties and enforcement action has already been taken, it should review and strengthen controls rather than relying on arrangements that have proved inadequate.

HSE Prosecution Link