Scottish Coal fined over double fatality at Dalmellington mine

Aug 29 2008

SCOTTISH Coal have been fined £400,000 after the horrific deaths of two miners.

Prestwick man Colin Ferguson, 37, and his colleague Brian French, 48, from Kelloholm near Sanquhar, died at Pennyvenie open cast mine on February 26 last year.

The workmates had been in a Land Rover when it was crushed by a 100 tonne dump truck.

The Scottish Coal Company admitted breaching health and safety legislation when they appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court this week.

They pleaded guilty to failing to provide a safe system of work for moving vehicles on the site.

Vehicles were operating at the open cast pit with reduced visual fields, without a radar system or closed circuit TV.

Passing sentence, Sheriff John Montgomery said: “Small vehicles, such as the Land Rover in which the two deceased were travelling, were not prevented from being operated in close proximity to large vehicles – including dump trucks.”

The tragedy was the second of three fatal incidents at the Pennyvenie mine in eight years.

In June 2000, miner Neil Hodge, 30, was crushed to death by a dumper truck.

And in January this year, 40-year-old dad Jim Griffin died instantly when he was crushed between two coal trucks.