Skips

The main types of skips used on UK construction sites are circular crane muck skips for lifting spoil out of deep excavations, forklift tipping skips for moving general site waste across compounds, and specialised concrete skips (such as coneflow and rollover column skips) for pouring wet concrete into slabs, walls, and columns.

The main difference between a muck skip and a forklift tipping skip is the lifting equipment used: muck skips are suspended from a crane or excavator hook to hoist spoil vertically out of trenches and shafts, whereas forklift tipping skips feature fork pockets and are moved horizontally by telehandlers or forklifts across site ground level.

A self-tipping muck skip empties automatically using an offset centre of gravity and a fold-down bale arm. When the crane operator lowers the loaded skip over a muck heap or lorry and the safety catches are released, raising the crane hook causes the skip bucket to pivot forward and tip its contents out hands-free.

You should choose a coneflow skip instead of a rollover column skip when pouring large, open concrete elements such as ground floor slabs, foundations, and footings. Coneflow skips discharge directly underneath with a wide flow, while rollover column skips feature an attached rubber hose designed for directing concrete down into deep, narrow column shutters and heavily reinforced walls without splashing.

Yes, circular muck skips can be lifted using a certified excavator lifting eye fitted with appropriate single-leg drop chains or chain slings, provided the excavator has a certified lifting chart, hose burst check valves, and complies with LOLER regulations.

Yes, construction site skips used for lifting require valid test certification under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER 1998) and BS EN 13155. Site Equipment Limited supplies all crane skips and forklift attachments fully inspected with an up-to-date six-month Report of Thorough Examination.

Yes, a forklift tipping skip can be emptied entirely from inside the driver's cab by pulling a trip cord connected to the release latch, which rolls the skip body forward to discharge waste into a lorry or bin before returning and locking itself upright under gravity.