Visscher v SafeWork NSW [2024] NSWIRComm 1012

Industrial Relations Commission New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Visscher v SafeWork NSW [2024] NSWIRComm 1012 Hearing dates: 21 and 22 November 2023 Date of orders: 28 February 2024 Decision date: 28 February 2024 Jurisdiction: Industrial Relations Commission Before: Commissioner McDonald Decision: 1. The external review is dismissed. 2. The internal review decision of Jim Allison dated 24 December 2020 confirming the decision of Inspector Fripp to issue the Prohibition Notice, is confirmed. Catchwords: EMPLOYMENT AND INDUSTRIAL LAW — Work health and safety — Notices and enforcement — Owner-builder issued with Prohibition notice — Whether inspector had power to issue Prohibition Notice — Whether residential construction site was a "workplace" – Whether construction of dwelling by an owner-builder constituted an "undertaking" within the meaning of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) – Whether an owner-builder is a "person conducting a business or undertaking" and a "worker" within the meaning of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) – Whether inspector held requisite reasonable belief as required by s 195 before issuing Prohibition Notice Legislation Cited: Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), ss 789FC and 789FD Home Building Act 1989 (NSW), Part 3, Div 3, ss 12 and 32 Industrial Relations Act 1996 (NSW), ss 175, 178A, 179, 187 and 188 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 69 Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW), ss 3, 5, 7, 8, 19, 195, 196, 197, 23, 223, 224, 226, 229 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 13.4, 28.2 Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017 (NSW), regs 7, 36, 78, 79, 225, 289, 292, 293 and 297 Cases Cited: Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue [2009] HCA 41; 239 CLR 27 Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd [2007] HCA 22; 230 CLR 89 Growthbuilt Pty Ltd v SafeWork NSW [2018] NSWIRComm 1002; 274 IR 317 Hamod v State of New South Wales [2011] NSWCA 375 Kirk v Industrial Court of New South Wales [2010] HCA 1; 239 CLR 531 Monis v The Queen (2011) 256 FLR 28 Monis v The Queen (2013) 249 CLR 92 Mr Martin Cooper [2017] FWC 5974 NSW Rural Fire Service v SafeWork NSW [2016] NSWIRComm 4 Orr v Hunter Quarries Pty Ltd [2019] NSWDC 634 Orr v Hunter Quarries Pty Ltd [2022] NSWCCA 39 Prior v Sherwood (1906) 3 CLR 1054 Regina v Associated Octel Co Ltd [1996] 1 WLR 1543 SafeWork NSW v Visscher [2021] NSWIRComm 1051 SafeWork NSW v Visscher (No 2); Visscher v SafeWork NSW [2021] NSWIRComm 1087 SafeWork NSW v Visscher (No 3); Visscher v SafeWork NSW (No 2) [2021] NSWIRComm 1099 SafeWork v Omega International and Shetty [2016] NSWDC 11 Sydney Trains v SafeWork NSW [2017] NSWIRComm 1009 Visscher v SafeWork NSW [2022] NSWSC 908 Visscher v SafeWork NSW [2023] NSWCA 164 Visscher v SafeWork NSW (No 3) [2023] NSWSC 317 Visscher v SafeWork NSW (No.2) [2022] NSWSC 1253 WorkCover Authority of NSW (Insp Maltby) v Abigroup Contractors Pty Limited & Luis Bustamante [2003] NSWIRComm 35; 126 IR 1 Texts Cited: Macquarie Dictionary, online ed Category: Principal judgment Parties: Timothy Visscher (Applicant) SafeWork NSW (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: N Read (Respondent) Solicitors: E Derrig (Department of Customer Service) (Respondent) Other: Applicant (Self-represented) File Number(s): 2021/00012730 Publication restriction: Nil