Waste Company Fined After Unsafe Skip Stockpiling and Poor Site Traffic Control

Brief Summary

HSE found multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including skips stockpiled three high in areas where people and vehicles regularly passed, and poor segregation between pedestrians and vehicles. The case highlights the need for effective traffic management, safe storage arrangements, and that prior enforcement does not remove ongoing legal duties.

What Was The Incident?

During an HSE visit in August 2022, inspectors observed vehicles and loading equipment moving freely around the site while there was no effective segregation between pedestrians and vehicles. The pedestrian entrance was locked, forcing pedestrians to use a route used by lorries and other vehicles. Although a visual traffic plan existed, it was not available to staff or visitors and had become out of date after site changes, including pedestrian access requirements such as routes to toilets. Inspectors also found skips unsafely stacked, with some deformed and stacked three high in places. This increased the likelihood of collapse or falling, and the stacks were located in an area regularly accessed by workers on foot or by vehicles.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer pleaded guilty to two offences and was fined £167,000, with £16,195 in costs ordered. HSE had already served improvement notices requiring corrective action within a specified timescale, and the investigation identified previous enforcement action including prohibition notices in 2019 relating to stockpiling and risks of collapse.

Key Points To Consider

Provide real segregation between pedestrians and vehicles. Pedestrian routes must be clearly planned and implemented so people are not forced to use vehicle routes, especially where vehicles and loading equipment move around the yard.

Keep traffic plans current and communicated. A traffic plan is only effective if it is visible and up to date, and it must reflect current site layouts and pedestrian movements such as access to welfare facilities.

Control the risks of collapse from heavy site storage. When large, heavy items are stored, stacking arrangements must be assessed for stability and consequences, including preventing situations where a fall or collapse could affect people on the walkways or near vehicle movement.

Do not allow known unsafe storage to remain in busy work areas. Unsafe stacks should not be placed in areas regularly accessed by workers on foot or by vehicles, because this sharply increases the likelihood that any failure will lead to serious injury.

Act promptly on enforcement history and improvement requirements. Prior enforcement shows the duty already identified. The employer must ensure required actions are taken within the timescales and that risks are eliminated, not simply managed on paper.

HSE Prosecution Link