HSE guidance


Safety in container and skip management


There are no national standards for skips and containers, however, a number of commonly used industry standards exist. Below are excerpts of the Health & Safety Executive’s guidance on skip and container safety in waste management and recycling.


D


EVIATIONS FROMcommonly used industry standards are not necessarily unsafe (depending upon use, systems of work etc), but using different


standards has the potential for a mismatch between the skip/container and the vehicle handling them. Any such mismatch can present risks


that will need to be adequately controlled to ensure safety. Manufacturers have duties under the


Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). They should ensure that the design and


manufacture of skips and containers is of good quality and that the selection and sizing of materials used is adequate for the intended use. Buyers also have duties under PUWER to


select skips and containers that are safe to use, and are maintained in a safe condition.


Skips Skips (receptacles specifically designed for use with skip loader vehicles) are used to store, transport and discharge dry waste and exist in a wide variety of sizes and configurations.


Mini skips These smaller skips have a capacity of between 1.5 and 2 m3


. They are not designed and


manufactured to a common agreed industry standard but to suit the individual design of skip loader. Buyers should therefore ensure that the skip


is compatible with the skip loader to ensure correct interfacing and safe use. For skips of 3 m3


up to the maximum 20 m3


a commonly used industry standard exists. It adopts general dimensions for: • overall size • positioning of lugs for lifting • positioning of tipping bars for discharging.


Special applications skips These require extra consideration and discussion between the buyer, the skip designer/manufacturer, the skip loader supplier and any other associated equipment supplier to ensure equipment compatibility and safe use.


Design, manufacture and purchase of skips • The skip shell is fully welded on all external edges and corners.


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• Extra heavy duty skips (e.g. used for scrap metal) are also fully welded on the inside, and additional reinforcing plates fitted to the discharge corners. (Some manufacturers weld the inside and outside of all skips as standard practice.)


• All upper edges are reinforced with channel section.


Lifting lugs Guidance on lifting lugs. They should: • pass through horizontal channel sections which extend the full length of the skip or vertical channels welded between two horizontal channels, depending on the capacity of the skip


• have reinforcing plates welded to the inside of the skip shell where the shank of the lifting lug passes through the side plate


• All channels which carry lifting lugs should be fully welded to the side plate. All drop down doors (e.g. on builders’ skips) have a locking device keeping them securely closed and a secondary lock fitted to the main lock to ensure that the door remains closed and safe during moving and transporting. Locks should be of robust construction to withstand the rough treatment they are likely to receive, yet easy to operate


• Loading doors fitted to the sides of large single-ended skips, and especially rearend loader (REL) skips, should have their hinges fitted towards the rear end of the skip to avoid injury to the operator in the event of a door falling open while the skip is being discharged


• Any hinged covers fitted to skips are light enough to permit safe opening and closing by hand from ground level. Hinges and locking devices are designed for ease of operation and durability.


Considerations for the safe use and condition of skips and containers Collection workers should be provided with systems of work and adequate training to enable them to carry out their work safely and competently. They should also be competent, through


training, to recognise faults and/or damage to skips and containers that could make them unsafe to use and undertake regular checks and report on the condition of skips and containers including:


www. r e c y c l i n gwa s t ewo r l d . c o . u k


• lifting points • locking points • tipping bars • doors • door locks • restraints • covers • general condition.


Operator competency Operators should be sufficiently competent to be able to select the correct type of skip for the intended task. This should include:


• strength, considering its intended load • stability, considering the weight and placement of skip contents


• methods to ensure the acceptable distribution of load weight within the skip. Give operators the authority, through written


procedures, to return damaged and unsafe skips and containers to their depot for repair or destruction or, where this would be unsafe, to seek further advice. Withdraw damaged and unsafe skips and


containers from service. Repair and inspect before putting back into service. Instruct drivers to report hazardous


situations that they believe would result in a risk to themselves or to the vehicle if they continued with the operation. For example:


• a grossly overloaded or unsafely loaded skip or container


• insufficient headroom to retrieve the skip or container


• insufficient space to be able to work safely • skip or container on sloping ground – up/ down slope, cross slope or


• combination of up/down and cross slopes; • skip or container on soft ground. There is an obligation on managers to


consult with staff on health and safety issues. The support and cooperation of staff is


essential to running a safe skip and container collection and transportation operation. Safety representatives and other staff can


make a valuable and positive contribution towards achieving the desired outcome by generating sound, practical ideas and solutions.


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• For a complete version of the guidance, visit www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/waste06.pdf


Recycling & WA S T E W O R L D


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