SafeWork NSW v Kayrouz Constructions Pty Limited (No. 2) [2021] NSWDC 38

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: SafeWork NSW v Kayrouz Constructions Pty Limited (No. 2) [2021] NSWDC 38 Hearing dates: 17, 18 February 2021 Date of orders: 3 March 2021 Decision date: 03 March 2021 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Russell SC DCJ Decision: (1) Kayrouz Constructions Pty Limited is convicted. (2) The appropriate fine is $80,000 but that will be reduced by 25% to reflect the plea of guilty. (3) Order Kayrouz Constructions Pty Limited to pay a fine of $60,000. (4) Order pursuant to Section 122(2) of the Fines Act 1996 (NSW) that 50% of the fine is to be paid to the prosecutor. (5) Reserve the question of the prosecutor's costs. (6) If the parties cannot agree on costs by 10 March 2021, direct that each party shall file written submissions on costs by 17 March 2021 and that the question of costs will then be determined on the papers. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – prosecution – work health and safety – duty of persons undertaking business – risk of death or serious injury SENTENCE – objective seriousness – mitigating factors – aggravating factors – plea of guilty – general deterrence – specific deterrence – capacity to pay appropriate penalty – parity COSTS – prosecution costs OTHER – copper pipes passed up the exterior of a building by inexperienced, unsupervised workers – worker suffered serious injuries when the pipes came into contact with energised overhead power lines – risk of contact with power lines foreseeable – initial precautions and safety systems in place – failure to consider continuing risk once scaffolding removed – gaps in the documentation – gaps in induction processes Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), ss 3A, 21A, 22 Fines Act 1996 (NSW), ss 6, 122 Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW), ss 3, 19, 32 Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (NSW), cll 166, 291, 299 Cases Cited: Alameddine v R [2020] NSWCCA 232 Baumer v R [1988] HCA 67; (1988) 166 CLR 51 BC v R [2020] NSWCCA 329 Bulga Underground Operations Pty Limited v Nash [2016] NSWCCA 37; (2016) 93 NSWLR 338 BW v R [2011] NSWCCA 176 Capral Aluminium Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales [2000] NSWIRComm 71; (2000) 49 NSWLR 610 Chiang v R [2016] NSWCCA 45 Cowling v R [2015] NSWCCA 213 DPP v Gregory [2011] VSCA 145; (2011) 34 VR 1 Filippou v The Queen [2015] HCA 29; (2015) 256 CLR 47 Green v The Queen [2011] HCA 49; (2011) 244 CLR 462 Jimmy v The Queen [2010] NSWCCA 60; (2010) 77 NSWLR 540 KMC v Director of Public Prosecutions (SA) [2020] HCA 6 Leach v The Queen [2007] HCA 3; (2007) 230 CLR 1 Mahdi Jahandideh v The Queen [2014] NSWCCA 178 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357. Muldrock v The Queen [2011] HCA 39; (2011) 244 CLR 120 Nash v Silver City Drilling (NSW) Pty Limited; Attorney General for NSW v Silver City Drilling (NSW) Pty Limited [2017] NSWCCA 96 R v AB [2011] NSWCCA 229 R v Kirkland [2005] NSWCCA 130 R v McNaughton [2006] NSWCCA 242; (2006) 66 NSWLR 566 R v Olbrich [1999] HCA 54; (1999) 199 CLR 270 R v Pearce [2020] NSWCCA 61 R v Wang [2020] NSWSC 1335 R v Wilkinson (No. 5) [2009] NSWSC 432 SafeWork NSW v Kayrouz Constructions Pty Ltd [2020] NSWDC 77 SafeWork NSW v Spectra Plumbing Pty Ltd [2019] NSWDC 415 Strbak v The Queen [2020] HCA 10 Unity Pty Limited v SafeWork NSW [2018] NSWCCA 266 Veen v The Queen (No. 2) [1988] HCA 14; (1988) 164 CLR 465 WorkCover Authority (Inspector Howard) v Baulderstone Hornibrook Pty Limited [2009] NSWIRComm 92; (2009) 186 IR 125 WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Carmody) v Consolidated Constructions Pty Limited [2001] NSWIR Comm 263; (2001) 109 IR 316 Texts Cited: Australian/New Zealand Standard 4576:1995, Guidelines for scaffolding, June 1995 WorkCover NSW, Code of Practice: Work Near Overhead Power Lines, July 2006 Category: Sentence Parties: SafeWork NSW (Prosecutor) Kayrouz Constructions Pty Limited (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M Scott (Prosecutor) M Gerace (Defendant)