Waste Company Fined After Unsafe Skip Stockpiling and Poor Traffic Separation

Brief Summary

HSE identified multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including skip stacks piled three high in areas regularly accessed by workers and poor separation between pedestrians and vehicles. The employer was prosecuted for offences under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act and was fined and ordered to pay costs.

What Was The Incident?

During an inspection in August 2022, HSE observed vehicles moving around the site and pedestrians being forced to use the vehicle route because the pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked. The site did not have effective designated pedestrian routes or crossing points, despite risks associated with large vehicles reversing and moving around the yard. Although a visual traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because it did not reflect changes to the site layout, including access routes across the yard to toilets. HSE also found skips stacked unsafely, with some skips deformed and stacks in places piled three high, increasing the risk of collapse or falling. These stacks were located in areas regularly accessed by workers on foot or in vehicles, which created a serious risk that a fall or collapse could affect people nearby.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer pleaded guilty to two offences under s33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act, relating to duties to prevent death or serious personal injury. After a further HSE visit following improvement notices, the company was fined £167,000 and ordered to pay £16,195 in costs. The case also noted previous enforcement action in 2019, when prohibition notices were served relating to stockpiling and risks of collapse.

Key Points To Consider

Provide real separation between pedestrians and vehicles. Do not rely on informal movement patterns. Ensure pedestrians have designated routes and safe crossing arrangements that are clearly implemented across the whole site, including where vehicle traffic and reversing risks are present.

Keep traffic plans visible and up to date. A traffic plan must be accessible to staff and visitors and must reflect the current site layout. If the configuration changes, review and update the plan so it addresses key pedestrian movements, such as access to welfare facilities.

Control outdoor storage to prevent collapse and falling materials. Where stored items can shift, deform or collapse, such as skip stacks, manage stability by stacking in a safe way and limiting heights and locations that expose people during routine work and movement.

Assess layout decisions that force pedestrians into vehicle routes. Chaining and padlocking pedestrian entrances so people must use vehicle routes can remove the safety barrier. Design site access so pedestrians do not have to travel through high risk vehicle areas.

Use enforcement history to drive deeper improvements. Previous prohibition notices on similar issues should trigger a robust review of how controls are implemented in practice. Improvement must be sustained, not just planned, and must address the specific risks found by enforcement.

HSE Prosecution Link