A civil engineering company has been fined for safety failings after a worker fell from a dumper truck during excavation work near Cambridge.

C R Civil Engineering Limited of North Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 13(2) and 31(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.

It was fined £20,000 for each offence and over £2,000 in costs.

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Peterborough Magistrates’ Court heard how the 50-year-old victim was operating a dumper truck during road improvements of the A14 road under Girton Bridge on 18 December 2014.

It is understood a drainage ditch was being excavated between the concrete pier of the bridge and the A14 road, with the worker using the dumper truck to remove soil.

However, the worker fell into the excavation and fractured his spine as he was attempting to remount the vehicle.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that the gap between the excavation and the safety barrier on the road was too narrow to safely manoeuvre through and for the driver to safely dismount and mount.

In addition, HSE said there was 'inadequate planning and monitoring' of the work.

(LM/CD)