Published: Wednesday, 27th August, 2008 14:45
SCOTTISH COAL FINED £400,000
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Scottish Coal have been hit with a £400,000 fine for health and safety breaches which resulted in the deaths of Brian French and Colin Ferguson at Pennyvenie Opencast.
Sheriff John Montgomery imposed the fine at Ayr Sheriff Court this week, saying the tragic accident could have been prevented, had Scottish Coal taken steps to enforce their own safety rules and installed equipment which would have been relatively inexpensive.
Scottish Coal’s representative, Hugh Neilson had stated last week that human error had played its part in the accident, because Brian French and Colin Ferguson could have picked up a replacement two way radio for the Land Rover in which they which they were travelling after they discovered it had been misplaced.
But Sheriff Montgomery said that the company failed to learn lessons from a previous accident in 2005 when it came to ensuring a safe system of work for employees.
In sentencing, the Sheriff said: “The level of the fine which is imposed is not intended to represent the value of the lives which have been so tragically lost.”
FOR MORE SEE THE CHRONICLE AUGUST 27 EDITION
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