Waste Company Fined After Unsafe Skip Stacking and Poor Traffic Management

Brief Summary

HSE found multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including unsafe three high skip stockpiling, a lack of effective segregation between pedestrians and vehicles, and traffic planning that staff and visitors could not use. The employer also had prior enforcement action relating to stockpiling and collapse risks, but did not address the risks identified. It pleaded guilty to two offences and was fined with costs awarded.

What Was The Incident?

HSE visited the site and observed vehicles such as tipper lorries and loading shovels moving around without effective control of pedestrian movements. The pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked, forcing pedestrians to use a route intended for vehicles, with no 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 Although a visual traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because site layout changes were not reflected, including access across the yard to toilets. Inspectors also found skips stacked unsafely, with some deformed and stacked three high in places. The risk of collapse or falling was increased by the stack height, the deformation of skips, and the fact the stacking area was regularly accessed by workers on foot or in vehicles.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer pleaded guilty to two offences under section 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined £167,000 and ordered to pay £16,195 in costs. HSE also reported that improvement notices were served following the initial visit, requiring action within a specified timescale, and that there had previously been enforcement action including prohibition notices in 2019 relating to stockpiling and risks of collapse.

Key Points To Consider

Ensure pedestrians and vehicles are genuinely separated. Do not rely on an entrance restriction alone. Provide designated pedestrian routes and crossing points so people do not have to share vehicle routes, especially where vehicles move around the worksite.

Keep traffic management plans visible and up to date. A visual traffic plan only works if staff and visitors can see and use it. If the yard layout changes, update the plan so it reflects current pedestrian movements and safe navigation of the site.

Control reversal and high risk vehicle movements. Where large vehicles reverse or operate around people, consider additional precautions beyond a general plan to protect those working nearby and implement them where needed.

Prevent unsafe stockpiling of heavy waste containers. Do not allow skips or similar loads to be stacked in unstable ways, including stacking height that increases collapse risk or the use of containers that are deformed.

Act quickly on enforcement history and known collapse risks. If improvement notices or earlier prohibition notices have already highlighted stockpiling hazards, review the controls urgently and ensure the required changes address the specific risks rather than repeating past failures.

HSE Prosecution Link