Waste Company Fined After Unsafe Skip Storage and Vehicle Pedestrian Control Failures

Brief Summary

The Health and Safety Executive found multiple failures at a waste and recycling site, including ineffective segregation of pedestrians and vehicles, an out of date traffic plan, and skips stacked up to three high in areas where workers regularly accessed the yard. The employer pleaded guilty and was fined, with costs ordered.

What Was The Incident?

During an HSE visit on 11 August 2022, inspectors observed tipper lorries and loading shovels being driven freely around the site. The pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked, forcing pedestrians to use routes intended for vehicles. There were no effective designated pedestrian routes or crossing points. Where large vehicles needed to reverse, the employer had not put effective additional precautions in place. The employer had a visual traffic plan, but it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because the site layout had changed. The plan did not address key pedestrian movements, such as access across the yard to toilets. Inspectors also found skips unsafely stacked, with some skips deformed and the stack height reaching three high in places. The instability created a risk of collapse or falling, and the skips were stored in an area regularly accessed by workers, on foot or by vehicles, increasing the likelihood that a falling skip could cause serious harm.

What Was The Outcome?

The HSE served improvement notices requiring action within specified timescales. Following further investigation, HSE found the employer had previously been subject to enforcement, including prohibition notices in 2019 relating to stockpiling and collapse risks. The employer pleaded guilty to two offences and was fined £167,000, with costs of £16,195 ordered on 5 May 2026.

Key Points To Consider

Segregate pedestrians and vehicles effectively. Organise site circulation so pedestrians have safe routes and crossing arrangements and are not forced into vehicle routes, especially where vehicles move frequently or reverse.

Keep traffic plans current and usable. A traffic plan must be visible to staff and visitors and updated to match the current site layout, including routes for essential movements such as access to welfare facilities.

Control hazards from stacked skips. Ensure skips are stored in a stable way that accounts for size and weight, avoids deformed skips, and prevents stack heights that increase collapse risk.

Do not store dangerous items where people regularly pass. Keep unstable or hazardous storage away from areas that workers access regularly on foot or in vehicles to reduce the consequences of any falling or collapse.

Act on past enforcement and improvement notices. Where previous enforcement has identified stockpiling and collapse risks, use it as a clear prompt to review and implement effective controls rather than relying on outdated or incomplete arrangements.

HSE Prosecution Link