SCOTTISH Coal was today fined £400,000 for safety failings that led to the deaths of two men.

SCOTTISH Coal was today fined £400,000 for safety failings that led to the deaths of two men.

A sheriff said he wanted to send a "clear and unambiguous" message to the firm about the seriousness of the offences.

Brian French, 48, and Colin Ferguson, 37, died in February last year when their vehicle was crushed by a giant tipper truck at the Pennyvenie open cast mine near Dalmellington in Ayrshire.

Last week at Ayr Sheriff Court, the company pled guilty to two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

It admitted allowing smaller vehicles to operate near larger trucks without warning systems to prevent collision.

It also admitted failing to provide the men with suitable means of communicating with drivers of other vehicles.

Sheriff John Montgomery today said there were safety rules in place at the mine. They would have prevented smaller vehicles like the one Mr French - from Kelloholm in Dumfries and Galloway - and Mr Ferguson from Prestwick, were in entering the loading zone until excavators and trucks were stationary.

He added: "It is apparent that despite there being site manager's rules for the movement of light vehicles within the site these were not enforced.

"Clearly, enforcing their own Site Manager Vehicles Rules, and having two-way radios available for all vehicles on site, would have been simple and relatively inexpensive ways of preventing this tragedy."

Sheriff Montgomery said the level of fine was not intended to represent the value of the lives that were lost.

And he added that any compensation claims could be dealt with by another court.