ENGLAND (From the Liverpool Echo) -- Two companies were ordered to pay out more than £600,000 after two workers were dragged to their deaths at the Sonae woodchip mill in Kirkby .

James Bibby, 25, and Thomas Elmer, 27, died when a conveyor belt at the facility began moving while they were carrying out maintenance work in December 2010.

Prosecutors said Sonae Industria and Metso Paper Limited - the contractor the men worked for - were responsible for "numerous, wide-ranging and systemic" safety failings.

Sonae and Metso - now known as Valmet Limited - appeared for sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court after admitting breaking health and safety laws.

Judge Graham Morrow, QC, fined Sonae £220,000 and told the company to pay £107,000 towards court costs.

The judge fined Valmet Limited £190,000 and ordered the firm to also pay a £107,000 contribution towards court costs.

The two men, who were both from Rossendale in Lancashire, died as a result of multiple injuries.

The pair were chosen to replace a worn section of machinery, which required working at height above the conveyor belt.

The conveyor was meant to have been isolated from its power source, but this did not happen.

Nigel Lawrence, QC, prosecuting, said there were "systemic" safety failures at Sonae and that "no safe system of work" was in place.

No risk assessment was completed by Sonae or Metso for the two men before they carried out the maintenance work.

The court heard a general risk assessment, dated October 2008, "was neither suitable nor sufficient".

Control measures, called 'permits to work', were left completely blank before being issued to contractors on the day.

Production at the plant was stopped in 2012 by its Portuguese owners, with the loss of more than 200 jobs.