Waste Firm Fined After Unsafe Skip Stockpiling and Poor Pedestrian Vehicle Separation

Brief Summary

HSE found multiple health and safety failures at a waste and recycling site, including skips piled three high in areas accessed by workers and a traffic system that did not effectively separate pedestrians from vehicle movements. The company had also been subject to earlier enforcement action, yet risks persisted. It pleaded guilty to offences and was fined and ordered to pay costs.

What Was The Incident?

During an HSE visit in August 2022, inspectors observed tipper lorries and loading shovels being driven around the site, with a pedestrian entrance that was chained and padlocked. Pedestrians were forced to use the same route as lorries and other vehicles. There were no effective segregation arrangements 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 Although a visual traffic plan existed, it was not visible to staff or visitors and was out of date because the site layout had changed since it was produced. Inspectors also found skips stacked unsafely, including some that were deformed and a stack height that was three high in places. The stacking created an increased likelihood of collapse or falling, and skips were placed in an area regularly accessed by workers on foot or in vehicles.

What Was The Outcome?

The company pleaded guilty to two offences under s33(1)(a) of the Act for failing to fulfil duties under Section 2 and Section 3 by putting people on site at risk of death and or serious personal injury. It was fined £167,000 and ordered to pay £16,195 in costs. HSE also previously served prohibition notices in 2019 relating to skip stockpiling and risks of collapse, and further improvement notices were served following the August 2022 inspection.

Key Points To Consider

Physically manage pedestrian and vehicle movements. Do not rely on informal routes where pedestrians and vehicles share space, particularly where vehicles move around freely and pedestrians are forced onto vehicle routes.

Keep traffic plans visible, current, and accurate. A traffic plan must be accessible to those who need it and updated when the site layout changes, including key pedestrian movements such as routes to welfare facilities.

Control skip stacking to prevent collapse and falling objects. Ensure skips are not piled to risky heights and that stability issues, including deformation, are addressed so that the chance of collapse and falling is reduced.

Avoid placing unstable loads in areas workers access frequently. Do not store skips in zones that workers regularly use on foot or in vehicles, as this increases the impact of any failure.

Use previous enforcement as a prompt for real change. Where earlier prohibition notices have been issued for the same type of risk, ensure actions taken are effective across the whole site rather than limited or incomplete.

HSE Prosecution Link