UK Coal fined

HARWORTH based UK Coal Mining Ltd has been ordered to pay £1.2 million in fines and costs for safety failings after four mineworkers died.

The company was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday for seven breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in connection to the deaths.

UK Coal pleaded guilty to all seven breaches at an earlier hearing in proceedings brought by the Health and Safety Executive.

The fatalities all resulted from four separate incidents over an 18 month period at two collieries.

Three of the deaths happened at Daw Mill colliery near Coventry. Trevor Steeples, Paul Hunt and Anthony Garrigan all lost their lives there between June 2006 and January 2007.

On 3rd November 2007 Paul Milner died at Welbeck Coliery at Meden Vale, Notts.