SafeWork NSW v Deicorp Pty Ltd [2022] NSWDC 194

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: SafeWork NSW v Deicorp Pty Ltd [2022] NSWDC 194 Hearing dates: 24 and 25 March 2022 Date of orders: 7 June 2022 Decision date: 07 June 2022 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Strathdee DCJ Decision: (1) The defendant is convicted. (2) The appropriate fine is $500,000.00 and that will be reduced by 20% for the utilitarian value of the plea. (3) Accordingly, I order Deicorp to pay a fine of $400,000.00. (4) 50% of the fine imposed is to be paid to the prosecutor, pursuant to s 133(2) of the Fines Act 1996 (NSW). (5) Deicorp is to pay the prosecutor's costs, agreed in the sum of $47,000.00. 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 – previous convictions - appropriate sentence – Fines Act 1996 (NSW) OTHER – s 19(1) of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW) Cases Cited: Alameddine v R [2020] NSWCCA BC v R [2020] NSWCCA 329 Bulga Underground Operations v Nash (2016) 93 NSWLR 338 Capral Aluminium Ltd v WorkCover Authority (NSW) (2000) 49 NSWLR 610 Chiang v R [2016] NSWCCA 45 Cowling v R [2015] NSWCCA 213 Environmental Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Filippou v The Queen [2015] HCA 29; (2015) 256 CLR 47 Fisher v Samaras Industries Pty Ltd (1996) 82 IR 384 Kirk v Industrial Court (NSW) (2010) 239 CLR 531 KMC v Director of Public Prosecutions (SA) [2020] HCA 6 Lawrenson Diecasting Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority (NSW) (1999) 90 IR 464 Leach v The Queen [2007] HCA 3; (2007) 230 CLR1 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357 Morrison v Powercoal Pty Ltd (No. 3) (2005) 147 IR 117 Nash v Silver City Drilling (NSW) Pty Ltd [2017] NSWCCA 96 Orbit Drilling v The Queen (2012) 35 VR 399 R v AB [2011] NSWCCA 229 R v Cage [2006] NSWCCA 304 R v Kirkland [2005] NSWCCA 130 R v MA [2004] NSWCCA 92 R v McNaughton (2006) 66 NSWLR 566 R v Miria [2009] NSWCCA 68 R v MMK [2006] NSWCCA 272 R v Olbrich [1999] HCA 54; (1999) CLR 270 R v Pearce [2020] NSWCCA 61 R v Thomson & Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 R v Wang [2020] NSWSC 1335 R v Youkhana [2004] NSWCCA 412 SafeWork NSW v Grandcity Constructions Pty Ltd [2018] NSWDC 398 SafeWork NSW v HCM Building Pty Ltd [2019] NSWDC 632 SafeWork NSW v Poletti Corporation [2019] NSWDC 491 Strbak v The Queen [2020] HCA 10 Veen v R (No. 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465 WorkCover Authority (NSW) v Profab Industries Pty Ltd (2000) 49 NSWLR 700 WorkCover Authority (NSW) v Sarjame Storage Pty Ltd [2015] NSWDC 151 Texts Cited: The NSW Code of Practice Managing the Risks of Falls at Workplaces (April 2016) The NSW Code of Practice Work Health and Safety Consultation, Co-Operation and Co-Ordination (December 2011) The SafeWork Australia Guide, Labour Hire: Duties of Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking Category: Principal judgment Parties: SafeWork New South Wales (Prosecutor) Deicorp Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr M Scott and Mr J Simpson (for the Prosecutor) Mr M Baroni (for the Defendant)