Waste Company Fined for Dangerous Skip Stockpiling and Poor Traffic Segregation

Brief Summary

HSE found multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including skips stockpiled up to three high, limited pedestrian access that forced people onto a vehicle route, and a traffic plan that was not visible or current. The employer was fined and ordered to pay costs after pleading guilty to offences related to putting people at risk of death or serious injury.

What Was The Incident?

During an HSE visit on 11 August 2022, inspectors observed vehicles and loading equipment moving around the site without effective pedestrian control. The pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked, so pedestrians had to use the same route used by lorries and other vehicles. There were no effective segregation arrangements using designated pedestrian routes or crossing points. The employer also had a visual traffic plan, but it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because site layout had changed. This meant it did not reflect key pedestrian movements, including access across the yard to toilets. Inspectors also found skips stacked unsafely, with some deformed and stacked three high in places. The height and deformation increased the instability risk. Skips were located in an area regularly accessed by workers on foot or in vehicles, creating a serious risk of falling or collapse.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer pleaded guilty to two offences under s33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 relating to duties to ensure people on site were not exposed to risks of death or serious injury. The company was fined £167,000 and ordered to pay £16,195 costs on 5 May 2026.

Key Points To Consider

Provide effective separation of pedestrians and vehicles. Ensure pedestrians have clearly defined routes and crossing points and that they are not forced to use vehicle routes, particularly in busy yard environments.

Keep traffic management information visible and current. A traffic plan is not enough if staff and visitors cannot see it and it does not reflect current site layouts and pedestrian movements.

Control risks from reversing and vehicle movements. Where large vehicles must reverse and where movement is shared, review the arrangements for additional precautions to protect people working nearby.

Prevent unstable stockpiles and falling objects. Do not stack skips in a way that creates a collapse or falling risk, especially if skips are deformed or stacked too high, and do not place them in areas regularly accessed by people.

Learn from prior enforcement and act promptly. Previous enforcement action does not remove the duty to improve; address identified breaches within required timescales and ensure controls are effective in practice.

HSE Prosecution Link