Waste Company Fined for Dangerous Skip Stockpiling and Poor Traffic Segregation

Brief Summary

HSE found multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including skips stacked up to three high in areas accessed by workers and a lack of effective segregation between vehicles and pedestrians. The employer had previously faced enforcement for similar risks and pleaded guilty to offences, resulting in a fine and costs.

What Was The Incident?

During an HSE visit on 11 August 2022, inspectors observed vehicles, including tipper lorries and loading shovels, being driven around the site and reported that pedestrians were forced to use a vehicle entrance route. The pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked, and there were no effective designated pedestrian routes or crossing points. Inspectors also found skips stacked unsafely, with some deformed, creating instability. In places the stack was three high, increasing the likelihood of collapse or falling. The skips were located in an area regularly accessed by workers, on foot or in vehicles, meaning workers could be exposed to the risk of falling skips. The employer had a visual traffic plan, but it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because site layouts had changed, including access routes across the yard to toilets.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer pleaded guilty to two offences and was fined £167,000. It was also ordered to pay £16,195 in costs. HSE had previously served prohibition notices in 2019 relating to stockpiling and the risk of collapse, and improvement notices were served requiring corrective action after the 2022 inspection.

Key Points To Consider

Prevent dangerous stockpiling and manage collapse risk. For skips with significant size and weight, ensure storage arrangements prevent instability, deformation, unsafe stacking heights, and locations where falls could affect people nearby.

Create real separation between pedestrians and vehicles. Organise the workplace so people can move safely, using designated pedestrian routes and crossing points instead of forcing pedestrians to use vehicle routes.

Keep traffic management controls visible and current. A traffic plan is not enough if staff and visitors cannot see it and if it does not reflect the current site configuration, including key pedestrian movements such as access to welfare facilities.

Act on known legal duties and prior enforcement. Where enforcement has already highlighted stockpiling and collapse risks, make sure controls are reviewed and strengthened rather than assuming the same approach remains adequate.

Address reversing and multi vehicle site movement with extra precautions. Where large vehicles and reversing are involved, assess the specific risks to people working nearby and implement additional protective measures where needed, not just basic site arrangements.

HSE Prosecution Link