Waste Company Fined After Unsafe Skip Stockpiling Puts Workers at Risk

Brief Summary

The HSE found multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including poor segregation of pedestrians and vehicles and skips dangerously stockpiled in areas workers regularly accessed. The employer had previously faced enforcement action over similar risks, yet similar unsafe conditions remained. The case highlights how quickly serious injury risk can arise when site transport management and storage arrangements are not properly controlled.

What Was The Incident?

HSE inspectors visited a waste and recycling site and observed vehicles such as tipper lorries and loading shovels driving around the site, with pedestrians forced to use the same vehicle route because the pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked. The site did not have effective segregation through 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 Although a visual traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because the site layout had changed, so it did not address important pedestrian movements such as access across the yard to toilets. Inspectors also found skips stacked unsafely, with some deformed skips and stacks up to three high in places, increasing the likelihood of collapse or falling. Some of the unsafe stacks were located in areas regularly accessed by workers, on foot or in vehicles, putting them at risk of being struck by falling or collapsing skips.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer pleaded guilty to two offences and was fined £167,000, with £16,195 costs ordered. Enforcement action had previously included prohibition notices in 2019 relating to stockpiling and risks of collapse, and improvement notices were served following the later inspection to require corrective action within set timescales.

Key Points To Consider

Segregate pedestrians and vehicles effectively. Where vehicles operate and large vehicles reverse, implement clear and effective segregation using designated pedestrian routes and crossing points rather than forcing pedestrians to share vehicle routes.

Keep traffic control plans current and visible. A traffic plan is not enough if it is not visible to staff and visitors and does not reflect current site layout and pedestrian movements.

Control storage of heavy items to prevent collapse. Check that stockpiling arrangements for skips are stable, account for size and weight, and ensure deformed items are not used in a way that increases instability and risk of falling.

Avoid placing hazards in frequently used work areas. Do not store potentially falling or collapsing loads in areas regularly accessed by people on foot or in vehicles.

Act promptly on enforcement history and improvement notices. Where previous enforcement action has highlighted legal duties and risks, treat later findings as a serious indicator that controls have not been implemented or maintained and ensure corrective actions are completed within required timescales.

HSE Prosecution Link