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

Brief Summary

HSE visited a waste and recycling site and found multiple health and safety management failures, including skips stacked three high in areas accessed by workers and inadequate separation between pedestrians and vehicles. Enforcement action had previously been taken for similar issues, highlighting that improvements had not been sustained.

What Was The Incident?

On site, vehicles and loading equipment were driven around freely, while pedestrian access was not safely managed. The pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked, forcing pedestrians to use the vehicle route. There were no effective designated pedestrian routes or crossing points, despite the need to manage pedestrian and vehicle movements safely, including when reversing vehicles are involved. Although a visual traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and had become out of date after changes to the site layout, so it did not cover key pedestrian movements such as access across the yard to toilets. Separately, skips were stacked unsafely, with some deformed skips making the stack unstable. In places the stacks were three high, increasing the risk of collapse or items falling. The skips were also located in an area regularly accessed by workers on foot or in vehicles, exposing people to the risk of falling or collapse.

What Was The Outcome?

The company pleaded guilty to two offences under Section 33(1)(a). It was fined £167,000 and ordered to pay £16,195 in costs. HSE had already served improvement notices requiring action within specified timescales after the initial concerns, and the case was further informed by prior enforcement, including prohibition notices in 2019 relating to stockpiling and collapse risks.

Key Points To Consider

Segregate pedestrians and vehicles effectively. Provide clear designated pedestrian routes and crossing points so people are not forced to use vehicle routes, and make sure arrangements are suitable for how vehicles move on site, including reversing activities.

Keep traffic plans current and communicated. A traffic plan must reflect the current site layout and be visible and usable for staff and visitors so it covers relevant pedestrian movements, not just general vehicle circulation.

Control skip storage to prevent collapse and falling. Avoid unsafe stacking and damaged or deformed skips in stockpiles, and reduce the likelihood of collapse by managing height and stability so falling material cannot endanger people.

Do not place hazards in areas routinely accessed by people. Ensure skip storage locations do not sit within zones regularly used by workers on foot or in vehicles unless controls keep people safely away from the risk.

Sustained compliance is required after prior enforcement. Where previous prohibition or other enforcement action has been taken, improvements must be implemented and maintained; repeating the same types of failings can lead to significant penalties.

HSE Prosecution Link