Bridlington Council is requesting that smaller businesses are able to dispose of their waste for free.
In a statement a local councilor said “It’s costing the council more to go round and pick all this rubbish than what it would be to let them go free.”
It’s estimated that around £100,000 in this council alone is spent on cleaning up tippers waste per year meaning tax payers money is going directly toward keeping our streets clean.

Fly-tipping (also known as ‘fly dumping’, and sometimes shortened to ‘tipping’) is a British term for dumping waste illegally instead of at an authorised rubbish dump. It is the illegal deposit of any waste onto land, i.e. waste dumped or tipped on to a site which has no official skip licence to accept waste.

The term is derived from the verb ‘tip’, meaning ‘to throw out of a vehicle’ and on the ‘fly’, meaning “on the wing” which is to throw away carelessly or casually

A UK provider of recycling and environmental technology based in Cambridge have recently attracted some fresh backing for the commercialisation of its technology for the recycling of plastic and aluminium laminate packaging.

Here, at the heart of our busy skip hire head office we were interested to find out that a syndicate of investors have just secured the deal including Cambridge Enterprise, (the university’s commercialised arm) along with business angels from both Cambridge Capital Group and Cambridge Angels.

Though The Cambridge University syndicate have declined to reveal the exact amount raised it is believed to be some serious Wonga!

Thus far plastic/aluminium laminate packaging has been non recyclable; the company’s patented technology offers a new recycling route. This new technology segregates the material into its constituent components providing clean aluminium that can be used as fuel or chemical feedstock.

We get asked all the time at Topskips whether a customer can put absolutely anything in a skip. Although they are mainly used for getting rid of rubbish, there are a few rules and regulations on what can go in a skip. Things like fridges and freezers, televisions, tyres, aerosols, strip lights, batteries, asbestos, gas cannisters and food waste are classed as hazardous. They need special care in their disposal which costs money. If you do need to get rid of any of the above, just ask one of our lovely sales people over the phone on 08445 60 77 10 and they can arrange disposal of it for you. Or you could e-mail us and we’ll be happy to inform you further.

Staff at yummy cosmetics firm Burts Bees have decided to go skip diving with all their waste that was destined for landfill. Skip hire forms a massive part of the company’s refuse, so scrutinising what actually went to landfill made the company rethink their waste management programme. They managed to recycle 50% of what was going to landfill, saving the company $25,000 annually!

Skip Hire can be dangerous. It’s kind of common sense NOT to set fire to the waste in a skip. Apart from the obvious dangers of the fire spreading, or something exploding in the skip, whoever hired this skip would have received a hefty bill from the skip company. Skips are about £500 to buy new so treat your skip with care!

We love skip hire at Topskips, but remember skips aren’t completely safe – as this skip worker demonstrates. Check it out, we don’t know whether to feel concerned or let out a huge ‘HAHA!’:

NB. No old men were hurt in the making of this video clip

We’ve launched our portable shower hire page at TopToilets.com for all you guys that need a way to keep clean and fresh on these sweaty summer days. Check it out.

By Nigel Mair
Health & Safety is one of the major issues facing the waste sector at the moment, with a recent study reporting an accident rate nearly 5 times the national average.
The issue of safety was really brought home by an extremely bleak 8-week period at the end of last year when there were 9 fatalities in the industry. These were all tragic and unnecessary losses.
Although the short period over which the accidents happened was unusual, the causes were, unfortunately, all too common and unless H&S is given a higher profile within the industry these tragedies will keep occurring.
In this article I will be covering some of the skip hire industry’s core H&S responsibilities and also highlighting some of the major risk areas that you should take a closer look at in your business.
We haven’t had an accident, so we haven’t got a problem?
That is a nice thought but I wouldn’t be so confident if I was you. You may be right, but you need to have a good look at your systems and make sure that it is thorough design and not just luck that accidents have been avoided.
In H&S speak you will need to be able to demonstrate that you have introduced safe systems of work (SSOW).
What is a safe system of work?
That is a good question, as many people think that it is about having risk assessments. In part that is correct, but a safe system of work is much more than having a file with “Risk Assessments” written on the front. In order to be effective a SSOW is about having demonstrable safety systems in place. This will include not only risk assessments, but also information provision, staff competence and appropriate control measures and precautions.
So what do I need to do?
Read on and I’ll cover some of the core topics here.
H&S Policy
One of your basic legal responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act is to produce an H&S Policy – this must be documented where the company employs 5 or more members of staff (to include part time staff).
The Policy is made up of 3 core requirements:
1. A Statement which sets out the organisations broad commitments with regard to H&S. It should be signed by a senior officer, such as the MD and should be clearly displayed around the organisation and made available to others upon request.
2. An Organisation structure should be produced, setting out the responsibilities of the different roles within your organisation. It will not necessarily include names, but will refer to work roles, such as Directors, Managers and Site Operatives. Each of these will have clear duties and responsibilities with regard to H&S.
3. An Arrangements document will also need to be prepared. This will set out the way the company meets the commitments set out in the Statement. For example, it might refer to the completion of risk assessments, the delivery of training and also the undertaking of audits and drills.
Risk Assessments
Risk assessments are probably the H&S “bits” that most of you will be familiar with. They are also an area that from my experience causes a lot of difficulty.
As with the H&S policy, undertaking risk assessments is a legal requirement- no matter what size your organisation. For smaller companies you will not have to write them down, but again, this becomes a legal requirement where you employ 5 or more staff (to include part timers).
How do I complete a risk assessment?
This is not that simple a question as there are lots of different approaches so it is not really a case of “one size fits all”. The bottom line is that you must undertake assessments that are “suitable and sufficient”…whatever that means.
This is a difficult one to put to bed as what may seem suitable and sufficient to you, may not be in the eyes of a HSE inspector. Whatever you decide is a “risk” you would have to justify should something go wrong. This means that you would have to be able to show that you have given it some thought and there is a reason behind your judgement…in effect, that you think it is “suitable and sufficient”.
Doesn’t H&S cost money?
That is a bit of a “glass half empty” question, as the cost of not having good H&S is likely to be much, much more. There is something in your favour though, as you are able to make use of the term “reasonably practicable”. That doesn’t mean that you can penny pinch, but it does mean that you can bring some cost benefit calculations into the decision making process. For example, if a member of staff got a minor cut on their finger and the only way to stop it happening again was to spend £1 million, then this would be thought of as unreasonable and you would not need to introduce the precaution. This is obviously at the extreme end, but in most cases for each of the risks you identify in your risk assessments you will be able to consider costs when thinking about any precautions. But again, be aware that you might need to justify your decision.
Personal Protective Equipment
This is often viewed as being the first line of defence, when really it should be the last. Whenever I go around sites it is frightening how many people seem to think that wearing hi-viz clothing turns them into some sort of superhero who can walk into the path of vehicles without fear…believe me, it WILL still sting if you get hit!
We will come back to this another time, but remember that PPE must be appropriate and staff must understand why they need to wear it and not only how it might protect them, but also what it will not do.
COSHH
This stands for “Control of Substances Hazardous to Health” and many of you may say that this doesn’t affect you as you don’t deal with anything hazardous. I can almost guarantee that that isn’t strictly correct, as I would imagine that at the very least you put one type of hazardous substance in your vehicle fuel tanks and use others to keep the engines working and the parts lubricated. All of these would fall under the COSHH regulations.
From my experience this is one H&S issue that is poorly satisfied in skip companies…….ask yourself do you have any Safety Data Sheets? If the answer is “no”, then this is something you should think about addressing.
Vehicles and Plant
Probably the most dangerous aspects of your business are your vehicles and plant. These are responsible for more accidents and deaths than anything else. In fact, it is suggested that over 60% of the waste industry accidents involve workplace transport.
Issues you will need to think about are how you ensure that they are safe to use (defect checks), how they are operated correctly (training, safe systems) and that people and vehicles are kept apart as far as possible (one way systems, barriers etc).
Visitors and contractors
Many people think that their responsibility only goes as far as their staff. This is not true…the Health and Safety at Work Act says that you have a responsibility for your employees and anybody else affected by your activities. This would mean visitors, contractors, members of the public and even in some cases those little angels that may break into your site from time to time!
You may well say that you have a big dog that keeps them at bay. This might be the case, but don’t forget that you will need to build it into a safe system of work, risk assessments and all!
The HSE’s Waste and Recycling Section is currently working to deliver a three-year programme to improve the performance of the industry. This is being delivered through an increased number of inspections – so, be warned, if you choose to ignore the advice given here, they may come knocking on your door very soon!
Nigel Mair is a WAMITAB assessor and verifier and runs the North West Regional Assessment Centre, delivering WAMITAB qualifications and other H&S, waste and environmental training.
You can contact himne via The Skip

Good advice for employees from the Health & Safety Executive:
Every year, moving skips cause death and serious injury. You, your workmates and bystanders are at risk.
Dangers include:
Being struck by vehicles
Falling and slipping
Failures of lifting equipment
Striking overhead cables/obstructions
Vehicle overturns
Runaway vehicles
This brief guide provides a checklist of some important things you can do to protect yourself and others.
It is not a full list. You may need to make other checks depending on what vehicle you drive and the places you work in.
If in doubt you may need to refer to the skip loader manual or you may need to ask for extra advice.
SAFE VEHICLE
Before you start work
Each day check your vehicle and lifting equipment and report any faults.
Check the following are working properly and are not damaged:
Brakes
Tyres
Lights and flashing beacons
Steering
Seatbelts
Wheel chocks (if needed)
Lifting equipment – controls, hooks, chains, hoses etc
Vision aids – mirrors and/or TV cameras
Before setting off
Check your in-cab information about any special precautions for the drop/pick up. Sites should tell the skip company about these beforehand, and agree precautions.
Prevent contact with overhead obstructions. Know your clearance height. Ensure lifting arms are fully lowered.
Ensure any load/skip is secure and chains are correctly stowed.
Check you have your safety gear, especially high visibility clothing and boots.
SAFE WORKER
Entering the site
Know exactly where to go and what needs to be done (you may need to talk to someone on site)
Obey all rules – signs, one-way systems etc.
Beware of pedestrians at all times.
Wear your safety gear. High visibility clothing is essential. You are likely to need your safety boots and may need other gear.
SAFE WORKING
Reversing
Minimise reversing – both the amount you do and the distances you travel.
Make sure your reversing area is clear.
Use your reversing aids – cameras, mirrors, alarms.
Look out for banksmen. They are at great risk from your reversing vehicle.
Some sites have made arrangements to eliminate the need for banksmen because of the risks these face. Make sure you know these arrangements.
Where banksmen are used, you must be clear about what their signals mean and obey them.
If you can’t see your banksman at any time when moving – STOP!
Exit your cab properly
Jumping out causes broken legs and twisted ankles: it could also put you into the path of another vehicle
Boots with good support help prevent twisted ankles.
Keep close to your vehicle
Don’t risk being run over by other vehicles. (Note: At some sites you may be instructed to keep away from the entire area during the loading of your container.)
Ensure no pedestrians are nearby during reversing and loading/unloading.
DROPPING OFF AND PICKING UP
Good ground – avoid sloping, uneven or soft ground.
Apply the handbrake
Use chocks where necessary on slopes
Use stabilisers – keep braked rear wheels on the ground when on slopes.
Avoid trapping between the skip and vehicles/walls. Keep a good clear space all around.
Sheet/unsheet safely – do it from ground level wherever possible. Use autosheeters or gantries/harnesses where provided. Avoid climbing on the vehicle.
Check before moving the skip:
o Hooks, chain lugs, bars etc to be fully engaged;
o Chains should not be twisted of knotted. They should not snag during load movement;
o Skip floors/panels/hinges/chain lugs, tipping bar etc to be in good condition;
o Doors (where fitted) to be in good condition with proper locks;
o The load is not overweight.
DOORS CAN SPRING OPEN!
Stand outside the door arc and load discharge path when opening to avoid being struck by ‘pressurised’ door or contents.
REMEMBER…
Monitor the work area at all times!
Skip movements can kill!
If the drop/pick-up seems unsafe, don’t do it!
Protect yourself, your workmates and the public.