Waste Company Fined After Unsafe Skip Stockpiling and Poor Traffic Management

Brief Summary

The HSE found multiple workplace health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including skips piled three high in areas accessed by workers and inadequate separation between pedestrians and vehicles. The employer also had a traffic plan that was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date, even after previous enforcement action for similar concerns.

What Was The Incident?

HSE inspectors visited the site and observed vehicles being driven around the yard, including tipper lorries and loading shovels, with pedestrians forced to use a route used by vehicles because the pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked. There was no effective segregation using designated pedestrian routes or crossing points. The employer had a visual traffic plan, but it was not visible and had not been updated after changes to the site layout, 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 and piled three high in places. The stacking height and instability increased the likelihood of a skip collapse or falling items, and the skips 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 of failing to fulfil duties under Section 2 and Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It was fined £167,000 and ordered to pay £16,195 in costs. The HSE had previously served prohibition notices in 2019 relating to stockpiling and risks of collapse, and improvement notices were served after the initial visit with required actions within specified timescales.

Key Points To Consider

Separate pedestrians and vehicles properly. Ensure designated pedestrian routes and crossing points are in place and actually work in practice, especially where vehicles operate around the yard.

Control reversal and vehicle movement risks. Where large vehicles must reverse, carry out a risk assessment and implement additional precautions to protect people working nearby.

Keep traffic management arrangements visible and current. A traffic plan must be accessible to staff and visitors and updated when the site configuration changes, including routes to facilities such as toilets.

Stop unsafe stockpiling and unstable stacks. Do not stack heavy waste containers in ways that create an increased risk of collapse or falling items, particularly where containers are in areas frequently accessed on foot or by vehicles.

Use previous enforcement as a trigger for improvement. If enforcement action has already been taken for similar failures, ensure corrective actions are implemented and verified rather than relying on plans or assumptions.

HSE Prosecution Link