David Applegarth, 39, of Darlington, County Durham, died in April 2003 after a steel pipe weighing around a quarter of a tonne rolled on top of him.

Steel construction company Finley Structures Limited, from the Aycliffe Industrial Estate, was also ordered to pay �3,500 in costs at Teesside Crown Court.

The company, which employs 40 workers, pleaded guilty to an offence under the Health and Safety At Work Act by breaching welfare regulations.

Civil case

Mr Applegarth, a father-of-two, was securing a load of steel poles when he fell three metres from a lorry trailer and one of the poles dropped off and struck him on the head.

Following the accident, the firm immediately constructed a loading platform to prevent a similar incident happening again.

The court heard the firm had no previous convictions, and that its insurance premiums rose from �20,000 a year to �70,000 after the accident.

Mr Applegarth's family are also suing Finley Structures in a civil case, and Judge Michael Taylor said he hoped it would be dealt with swiftly to help them to put the tragedy behind them.