Waste Company Fined After Dangerous Skip Stockpiling and Poor Vehicle Pedestrian Segregation

Brief Summary

HSE found multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including skips stacked three high in places and pedestrian routes forced to share space with vehicles. The employer had an outdated traffic plan that did not reflect site changes, and enforcement action had previously been taken over similar risks. The employer pleaded guilty to two offences and was fined £167,000 with costs of £16,195.

What Was The Incident?

During an HSE visit, inspectors observed vehicles and loading equipment being driven around the yard, with no effective segregation between pedestrians and vehicles. The pedestrian entrance was secured, and pedestrians were directed to use the vehicle entrance route used by lorries and other vehicles. There was a visual traffic plan, but it was not visible to staff or visitors and had not been updated after the site layout changed, so it did not address key pedestrian movements such as access across the yard to toilets. Inspectors also found skips stacked unsafely, with some deformed skips contributing to instability. In places the skips were stacked three high, and the stacks were located in areas regularly accessed by workers on foot or in vehicles, increasing the risk of collapse or falling.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer was prosecuted for failing to fulfil duties under Section 2 and Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by putting people on site at risk of death or serious personal injury. It pleaded guilty to two offences and was fined £167,000 and ordered to pay £16,195 in costs.

Key Points To Consider

Provide effective segregation of pedestrians and vehicles. Organise the site so pedestrians and vehicles can circulate safely, with clearly designated pedestrian routes and crossing points that do not depend on people using vehicle routes.

Keep traffic management controls visible and up to date. A traffic plan must actually be visible to staff and visitors and reflect the current site configuration, particularly when layouts change or routes for critical areas like toilets are affected.

Control reversing and mixed movement risks. Where large vehicles need to reverse, assess the risk to people working nearby and implement additional precautions where appropriate to protect them.

Prevent unsafe stacking that can lead to collapse. Do not stockpile heavy skips in ways that increase instability or likelihood of collapse, including avoiding three high stacking where relevant and ensuring damaged or deformed skips are not used as part of an unstable stack.

Learn and act after prior enforcement. If enforcement action has already been taken for similar risks, treat this as a clear warning to put the required control measures in place and sustain them rather than allowing the same hazards to reappear.

HSE Prosecution Link