Top Tips for Safe Skip Usage: Ensuring a Hazard-Free Experience

Using a skip is a pretty straightforward business in many ways. All you need to do is place – or even throw! – your waste into it, and when it’s full or you have nothing more to put in, we come and take it away.

Of course, it’s not quite as simple as that, because careless or improper use of a skip can pose a danger to you, your family or colleagues (depending on whether it’s domestic or commercial skip hire), our operators or even random members of the public.

So, here’s our list of essential safety tips you should observe when you’re taking advantage of skip hire from Enfield Skips.

Skip safety tips

Skip Placement

Take the time to think carefully about where your skip is going to be placed. Some of the items going in could be flammable, so it needs to be away from trees, bushes and other fire risks.

If your skip is going to be on a public road, make sure it’s in a place that isn’t going to present a danger to road users or pedestrians. You might also need to use hazard lights to make sure that it’s visible at night.

Wear the right equipment

This will usually apply to those loading skips on construction sites or other commercial settings, but you may also need to take precautions at home, depending on what you’re getting rid of.

Consider wearing appropriate PPE such as strong gloves, safety goggles and steel-capped boots or supply them for your team if you are a site manager.

Load carefully

If you’re loading heavy items, it’s important that you know how to lift and move them properly, otherwise you could cause serious damage to your back.

Make sure you bend and lift using your knees, stand close to the object while doing so and keep your back straight.

There are plenty of manual handling guides online, so if you’re not sure of the right techniques, take the time to research them first.

Follow skip filling rules

There are several rules it’s important that you follow when loading your skip. These include:

Don’t overload your skip: putting too much into your skip poses several risks, including to the person who has to take it away and any passers-by, especially if there are items sticking out at the top or at the sides. Read more about the dangers of overloading a skip in our previous blog.

Place heavy items at the bottom: putting your heaviest items at the bottom will help prevent the skip from becoming unstable and tipping over when being raised to be put on the back of our truck.

Don’t load hazardous items: they may pose a risk to those unloading and separating your waste ready for recycling. Read more about what you can and can’t put into a skip in this previous article.

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Here at Enfield Skips, we’re your friendly local skip hire company providing a quality service every time at always competitive prices.

Whether you’re interested in commercial or domestic skip hire in and around Enfield, Barnet, Hertfordshire and North London, get in touch with us to find out more or order your skip online now.