Waste Company Fined After Dangerous Skip Stockpiling and Poor Site Segregation

Brief Summary

HSE found multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including lack of effective segregation between vehicles and pedestrians, an out of date traffic plan that staff and visitors could not see, and skips stockpiled in unstable stacks in areas people accessed. The employer previously faced enforcement action for similar risks of collapse, but still fell short of its legal duties.

What Was The Incident?

During an HSE inspection in August 2022, inspectors observed tipper lorries and loading shovels being driven around the site and found the pedestrian entrance was chained and padlocked. Pedestrians were forced to use the same route as vehicles, with no effective segregation using designated pedestrian routes or crossing points. Although a visual traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because the site layout had changed, so it did not cover key pedestrian movements, including access across the yard to toilets. Inspectors also found skips stacked unsafely, with some deformed skips making the stack more unstable. In places the stack was three high, increasing the likelihood of collapse or a fall. The stacks were located in an area regularly accessed by workers on foot or in vehicles, which increased the risk to people if a skip fell.

What Was The Outcome?

Following improvement notices and a further visit, the investigation found the employer had previously been subject to enforcement, including prohibition notices in 2019 related to stockpiling and risks of collapse. The employer pleaded guilty to two offences under s33(1)(a). It was fined £167,000 and ordered to pay £16,195 in costs.

Key Points To Consider

Provide effective vehicle and pedestrian segregation. Do not rely on people sharing routes with vehicles. Ensure designated pedestrian routes and crossing arrangements are in place and used so that vehicles and pedestrians can move safely.

Keep traffic management information visible and current. A traffic plan is not enough if it is not visible to staff and visitors or does not match the current site layout, including changes that affect how pedestrians move around the yard.

Control reversing and traffic risks with additional precautions. Where large vehicles reverse, risk assessments should drive additional precautions to protect people working nearby, not just a basic plan.

Prevent skip instability by controlling stacking and placement. Treat skip stockpiling as a collapse and falling object risk. Avoid unsafe stacking, damaged or deformed skips, excessive stacking height, and locations where workers regularly need to pass.

Act early after previous enforcement, not after another failure. If the regulator has already identified similar breaches and taken enforcement action, use that as a trigger to review and improve systems immediately, including the measures intended to stop stockpiling collapse risks.

HSE Prosecution Link