The Dangers of An Overloaded Skip
When you hire a skip, it can be tempting to stuff in everything that you possibly can — even if it means your skip is piled sky-high or overflowing. That’s just making the most of your skip hire, right?
Well, not exactly. It’s important to be aware that overloading your skip can be dangerous — to yourself, pedestrians, and even your skip provider.
Here are the dangers of creating an overloaded skip (as well as some tips to prevent an accidental overload)…
Items could fall out of the skip
Our first danger is perhaps the most obvious. If your skip is piled too high, objects could fall out of it — and on to anything or anyone passing by! You’re likely to have all sorts of sharp or heavy objects in your skip, so a fall-out could be rather dangerous or obstructive.
Falling objects can be particularly dangerous if small children, pets (like the neighbourhood dogs and cats), or the elderly are walking by. And if something falls and obstructs the road, it could be a hazard for cars and bikes. At the very least, your neighbours might not be too happy about your hazardous skip (for good reason) — and it’s never nice annoying local residents!
The skip could become too heavy
Another issue is that your skip could become too heavy for your skip provider to safely take away. Your skip will have filling limits for a reason. Your skip provider’s machinery will be designed to lift certain weights, so an overfilled skip could put it under unnecessary strain.
A too-heavy, too-full skip is also a liability to transport. Even if nothing is falling out of the skip when it’s stationary, moving it could dislodge items that could then fall over the edge of the skip.
Your skip provider could take one look at your skip and decide it’s too risky for them to remove it. You’ll then have to spend time taking items out of your skip (and your skip provider might not want to wait around). You’ll then have to hire a new skip to accommodate your spillover items, which will take more time and money. All in all — it’s best not to overfill your skip in the first place.
Items could stick out over the skip edge
An overloaded skip is likely to be overflowing, with objects sticking out over the skip edge. This is extremely dangerous for pedestrians and vehicles, as they might not spot the items. They certainly won’t be expecting them!
Protruding items could hit cars, scratching them or damaging mirrors or windows as they pass. But even more importantly, they could knock a cyclist off their bike — causing them serious injury. Something sticking out could also hit or scratch a pedestrian — and this could be extremely serious if the item is at eye level. With so many risks, overloading your skip is simply not worth the risk.
To avoid this danger, take a good look all around your skip after every loading session. It’s also worth giving it a glance every time you leave your house as items could move in the wind. They could stick out over the skip even if you didn’t place them this way.
You might be charged extra for your skip removal
While this isn’t a physical danger, it is a financial one! If you overload your skip, your skip provider has every right to refuse to take it away or charge you extra for the hassle.
If you’ve paid less for a smaller skip, it can be tempting to maximise it by over-filling it. But your skip provider might not be a fan of this approach! If you know you’re going to have lots of waste to get rid of, it’s best to pay for the appropriate size skip from the start. You’ll end up paying more in the long run if you don’t. If you’re unsure about the best size for you, just ask your skip provider — they’ll be able to advise you.
Skip hire Ipswich, Thetford, Diss | Kent Skips
If you’re searching for affordable and reliable skip hire in the South Norfolk or North Suffolk area, contact us today. At Kent Skips, we’re a friendly, family-run company who have operated skip-hire services since 1989. We provide five different skip sizes, so we’re sure to have a skip that’s suitable for your project.
Whether you’re clearing house clutter, completing a renovation project, or need a commercial scale skip, our friendly team can advise you on the right service for you. With over 30 years of experience — you can count on us.
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