Waste Company Fined After Skips Stockpiled and Pedestrian Vehicle Segregation Failed

Brief Summary

HSE found multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including skips stacked three high in places, some deformed and located in areas regularly accessed by workers. The regulator also found pedestrians had no safe, designated routes and were forced to use the same route as vehicles, with traffic arrangements not effectively controlled. The employer pleaded guilty and was fined, with costs ordered.

What Was The Incident?

During an HSE visit in August 2022, inspectors observed vehicles operating freely around the site, including tipper lorries and loading shovels, without effective segregation of pedestrians from vehicle movements. The pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked, and pedestrians had to use the vehicle entrance route. Although a visual traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because site arrangements had changed, including access across the yard to toilets. Inspectors also found skips stacked unsafely, some deformed, with stacks up to three high. The risk of collapse was described as potentially catastrophic, and the skips were located in an area regularly accessed by workers on foot or by vehicle, increasing the risk of falling objects.

What Was The Outcome?

After improvement notices were served and a further investigation followed, the employer pleaded guilty to two offences under section 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £167,000 and ordered to pay £16,195 in costs. HSE noted the employer had previously been subject to enforcement action, including prohibition notices in 2019 relating to stockpiling and risks of collapse.

Key Points To Consider

Provide genuine pedestrian and vehicle segregation. Ensure pedestrians have designated routes and crossing points so they are not channelled into vehicle movements, and make segregation arrangements effective in practice for everyone on site.

Keep traffic management plans current and visible. A traffic plan must be up to date with current site layouts and be visible to staff and visitors, and it must account for key pedestrian movements such as access to welfare facilities.

Control risks from stored or stockpiled heavy items. Treat stack stability as a primary risk, particularly where objects can be large and heavy, and where collapse could have catastrophic consequences.

Avoid locating hazardous storage where people routinely pass. Do not place stockpiles in areas regularly accessed by workers on foot or by vehicle, and reassess layouts so people are kept away from potential falling or collapse hazards.

Learn from previous enforcement and act within timescales. If notices or earlier enforcement action has already highlighted legal duties, use that knowledge to implement durable changes quickly and to ensure compliance is maintained after site conditions change.

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