A CONSTRUCTION company has been fined £8,500 for a trench collapse at the University of York that buried two men alive.

The earth completely covered sub-contractor Trevor Wightman and its pressure broke his ribs and caused him head injuries, Health and Safety Executive inspector Phil Burgess told York magistrates.

The worker had to spend several days in hospital after emergency services dug him and his colleague Charles Huddleston out on May 31 last year. The second worker, who was partially buried, also suffered broken ribs.

"It could very easily have proved fatal," Mr Burgess said of the accident.

HBG Construction North East Ltd, of Edgware Road, Colindale, London, pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the two men's safety and was fined £8,500 with £1,141.60 costs.

Its barrister, Jonathan Watt-Pringle, said in court the company would compensate the two men and not contest civil action by them. Mr Burgess said Mr Wightman and Mr Huddleston were doing a sub-contract for the company installing drainage pipes as part of a project to build three three-storey research units near the biosciences department on the university campus.

They were working at the bottom of a trench whose unsupported walls rose over their heads and which had already seen lesser collapses that day.

Peter Straker, the company's assistant site manager, told the men to use sheet piles to support the trench, but he allowed them to go back into the trench to do some measuring for him and continue their work without shoring up its walls. Then it collapsed on top of them.

Mr Watt-Pringle said the company did have systems in place to ensure workers' safety during digging work, but these had not been enforced on May 31. Both men, whom he described as experienced sub-contractors, were now back at work.

The company was "reputable and responsible", had a good safety record and took safety training seriously. Since the accident, it had carried out a full investigation and reinforced safety advice for its 200 plus staff.

The university declined to make a comment on the case.

According to a spokesperson for HBG Construction the men were from areas of Leeds and Manchester.

Updated: 10:59 Friday, March 28, 2003