Waste Company Fined After Unsafe Skip Stockpiling and Poor Traffic Segregation

Brief Summary

HSE found multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including skips stacked three high with deformation, weak pedestrian access, and traffic arrangements that did not separate pedestrians from vehicles. The employer had received previous enforcement relating to stockpiling and collapse risks, yet similar issues were found again.

What Was The Incident?

HSE visited the site on 11 August 2022 and observed vehicles and loading equipment being driven around the yard without effective pedestrian segregation. The pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked, forcing pedestrians to use the same route as lorries and other vehicles. There were no designated pedestrian routes or crossing points to manage vehicle movements safely. Although a visual traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because the site layout had changed. HSE also found skips stacked unsafely, with some skips deformed. In some areas the stacks were three high, increasing the likelihood of collapse or falling. Skips were located in areas regularly accessed by workers, whether on foot or in vehicles.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer pleaded guilty to two offences under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 s33(1)(a). It was fined £167,000 and ordered to pay £16,195 in costs. HSE had previously served prohibition notices in 2019 relating to stockpiling and risks of collapse, and improvement notices were served after the 2022 visit requiring action within a specified timescale.

Key Points To Consider

Segregate pedestrians and vehicles for safe site movement. Use designated pedestrian routes and crossing points so people are not forced to use vehicle routes, particularly where reversing or frequent vehicle movements occur.

Keep traffic management arrangements current and visible. A traffic plan only works if it is visible to staff and visitors and it reflects the current site layout and the routes people need to take.

Control skip storage to prevent collapse and falling loads. Check stacking arrangements and condition of skips and do not store them in locations regularly accessed by workers in ways that would expose people to falling or collapse.

Treat collapse risk as potentially catastrophic for large waste equipment. Because skips are large and heavy, assess the worst case consequences of any stack failure and apply control measures suitable for the seriousness of the risk.

Use previous enforcement outcomes to drive genuine improvements. If enforcement has already been used for stockpiling and collapse risks, ensure the required changes are implemented and checked in practice rather than repeated failures occurring.

HSE Prosecution Link