A construction company has been prosecuted after a worker was trapped for more than two hours when a trench collapsed on him, builders liability insurance holders have been told.
Vickers Construction, of Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £5,000 with costs of £3,178.10.
Darlington Magistrates Court heard how in November last year, John Taylor, 44, was laying pipes in a trench when the wall collapsed, trapping him from the waist down for more than two hours, suffering bruising to his legs in the process.
Dave Shallow, Health and Safety Executive inspector, said: "Trench collapses are a well-known cause of serious injuries and deaths in the construction industry and this incident could have easily been avoided."
Earlier this month, builders liability insurance holders were warned about load safety after S Cartwright and Sons was fined £15,000 after an incident in Altrincham.