The family of student Simon Jones say workplace laws must be changed after bosses were cleared of his manslaughter.

Simon, 24, was crushed to death by a crane grab on his first day as a dock worker at Shoreham Harbour.

Euromin Ltd and its British operations general manager Richard Martell, were acquitted of manslaughter yesterday.

However, the company was fined £50,000 for violating two health and safety regulations at its wharf in Shoreham harbour.

Simon who was a student at Sussex University, died instantly when his head was crushed by an excavator grab in the hold of a ship, two hours after he started as a casual worker in April 1998.

His family fought for more than three years to bring Euromin and Mr Martell to court.

Simon's mother Anne Jones said the family was "disappointed and deeply disturbed" by the verdict.

She said companies had been given the green light to avoid making health and safety a priority.

The jury ruled the company failed to ensure Simon was not exposed to risks to his health and safety.

Euromin was also found guilty of failing to make a risk assessment for people not employed by the company.

Judge David Stokes QC said: "The excuses that the company gave were lamentably weak about why they did not carry out the assessment.

"The failure to do that was, in my judgement, absolutely deplorable. Had it been done, the death of this young man could have been avoided."

Mrs Jones, outside the Old Bailey yesterday with her husband, Chris, and son, Tim, said: "We have to accept the verdict but feel it sends a clear message to workers that nobody will protect them.

"The sentence given is the equivalent of me being fined £5. It will go nowhere to preventing companies working in a like manner.

"As a worker, you have to look out for number one. If you are asked to do a job you see is dangerous - refuse, blow the whistle.

"You have to ask yourself which is worse - being unemployed or being chopped in half by machinery?

"Until the Government toughens the law, people like Simon will continue to die. The national scandal of an exploited and unprotected workforce will continue.

"To this day, Euromin have never shown any remorse, any regret. Not two lines to say they are sorry our son died on their premises."

Mr Martell, from Chichester, flanked by his two sons, refused to comment.

In the past ten years, more than 3,000 people across the country have died at work and more than 200,000 have suffered serious injuries.

Only three companies have been successfully convicted of manslaughter.

Detective Chief Inspector Ray Hooke, of Sussex Police, said: "We always supported the prosecution and are pleased to have all the evidence put before the jury.

"I do not think the company has had an easy ride. They have been convicted of two health and safety offences and fined £50,000 with £20,000 costs. The judge made it quite clear the infringement of these was deplorable."

Colin Chalmers, of the Simon Jones Memorial Campaign, said the fight would go on.

He said: "As long as this Government and its agencies refuse to take action against companies that profit from casualisation at the expense of their workers' lives, we will continue, where necessary, to challenge the law so justice will prevail."

The judge fined the company £20,000 for the first health and safety offence and £30,000 for the second. The company was ordered to pay £20,000 costs.

Euromin was found not guilty of a further health and safety breach.