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

Brief Summary

HSE found multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including lack of effective segregation between vehicles and pedestrians and skips piled three high in areas workers routinely used. The company had previously been subject to enforcement action for similar risks. It pleaded guilty to offences and was fined, with costs ordered.

What Was The Incident?

During an HSE visit in August 2022, inspectors observed lorries and other vehicles being driven around the site with inadequate control of how pedestrians moved through the workplace. The pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked, so people had to use the vehicle entrance route, with no effective segregation through designated 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 Although a visual traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because the site layout had changed.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, including some that were deformed, making them unstable. In places the stacks were three high, increasing the risk of collapse or a skip falling. The skips were stored in an area regularly accessed by workers on foot or in vehicles, placing people at significant risk.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer pleaded guilty to two offences under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined £167,000 and ordered to pay £16,195 in costs. HSE also previously served prohibition notices in 2019 related to stockpiling and the risk of collapse, and further improvement notices were served requiring action within a specified timescale.

Key Points To Consider

Provide clear separation between people and vehicles. Organise the site so pedestrians and vehicles can circulate safely, including designated pedestrian routes and crossing points, and avoid forcing pedestrians to use vehicle routes.

Keep traffic management plans visible and current. A traffic plan that is not visible to staff and visitors and does not reflect the current site layout will not control risk, so review and update it when changes occur.

Control vehicle movement including where reversing is required. Where large vehicles must reverse, assess the extra risks and put in place additional precautions appropriate to protect people working nearby.

Prevent unsafe stockpiling and reduce collapse risk. For heavy items such as skips, avoid unstable stacking practices including over height and damaged skips, and address the likelihood of collapse or items falling.

Learn and improve after enforcement action. If previous notices have highlighted similar risks, treat that as a warning sign and make sure corrective actions are delivered in practice, not just planned.

HSE Prosecution Link