Waste Company Fined After Unsafe Skip Stockpiling and Poor Traffic Segregation

Brief Summary

HSE found multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including skips stacked three high in areas accessed by workers and vehicles, plus poor pedestrian and traffic arrangements. The employer was previously subject to enforcement action relating to collapse risks, yet the same type of risk remained. The case highlights the need for effective traffic management, visible and current site arrangements, and robust control of stored waste equipment.

What Was The Incident?

During an HSE visit in August 2022, inspectors observed vehicles and equipment being driven around the site with no effective segregation between pedestrians and vehicles. The pedestrian entrance was locked, forcing pedestrians to use the same route as lorries and other vehicles. Although a visual traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and had become out of date after site configuration changes, so it did not reflect key pedestrian movements such as access across the yard to toilets. Inspectors also found skips dangerously stacked, with some deformed, placed in an area regularly accessed by workers. In places the stack height was three high, increasing the risk of collapse or falling, with the potential for serious consequences given the size and weight of skips.

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 also served improvement notices requiring action within a specified timescale, and noted that prohibition notices had previously been served in 2019 relating to stockpiling and risks of collapse.

Key Points To Consider

Prevent vehicle and pedestrian mixing through effective site layout. Pedestrians must be able to move safely without relying on vehicle routes, and traffic systems should include clear designated pedestrian routes and crossing points where appropriate.

Keep traffic plans visible and up to date. A traffic plan is not enough if it is not actually used on site; review it when the site layout changes and ensure it is visible and understood by staff and visitors.

Control collapse risk from stored skips. Where skips can be piled, stacking must not create instability, including controlling height and addressing deformation, particularly in areas that people regularly access.

Act on enforcement history rather than repeat known failures. Where previous prohibition or other enforcement action has identified weaknesses, treat it as evidence that controls are not embedded and strengthen arrangements to prevent recurrence.

Take account of potentially catastrophic consequences. For heavy plant and equipment stored or moved on site, risk assessments should reflect the severity of outcomes, and controls should be implemented to protect people even during routine movements such as yard access.

HSE Prosecution Link