Seda Pty Limited v Inspector James (WorkCover Authority of New South Wales) [2003] NSWIRComm 368

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : Seda Pty Limited v Inspector James (WorkCover Authority of New South Wales) [2003] NSWIRComm 368 APPELLANT Seda Pty Limited PARTIES : DEFENDANT Inspector Wayne James (WorkCover Authority of New South Wales) FILE NUMBER: IRC 7403 of 2002 CORAM: Wright J President; Walton J Vice-President; Boland J CATCHWORDS : Appeal - Leave to Appeal - Occupational Health and Safety - Manufacturing industry - Crush injury - Appeal against severity of sentences - Nature of appeal - Delay in rectifying defects - Aggravation - Mitigation - Financial position of appellant - Turnover - Assets - Principle of totality - Penalties manifestly excessive - New penalties imposed Criminal Appeal Act 1912 s 5AA LEGISLATION CITED : Industrial Relations Act 1996 s 196 Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 s 15 s 31R Cabonne Shire Council v Environment Protection Authority (2001) 115 LGERA 304, [2001] NSWCCA 280 Crown in the Right of the State of New South Wales (Dept of Education and Training) v Keenan (2001) 105 IR 181 Fernandes Constructions Pty Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Steven Jones) [2002] NSWIRComm 364 Inspector Batty v Graincorp Operations Ltd [2002] NSWIRComm 49 Inspector Colin James West for the WorkCover Authority of New South Wales v Australian Veg-Tanners Pty Limited [1997] NSWIRComm 78 Inspector Frank Glass v BNG Battery Technologies Pty Ltd [2002] NSWIRComm 346 Inspector Glenn McCarthy v Advance Packaging Pty Ltd [1997] NSWIRComm 89 Inspector Mahinder Seneviratne v Eric Roberts Trading Co Pty Ltd [2002] NSWIRComm 87 Inspector Wayne James v Seda Pty Ltd [2002] NSWIRComm 369 John William Ingle v Erineton Pty Ltd and John William Ingle v Aspex Paper Australia Pty Limited (unreported, Hungerford J, CT 1238 of 1996, 11 April 1997) P F Thearle & Co Pty Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Reynolds) [2002] NSWIRComm 102 R v De Simoni (1981) 147 CLR 383 CASES CITED : Ridge Consolidated Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Mauger) (2002) 115 IR 78 Warman International Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (1998) 80 IR 326 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ankucic) v Namoi Cotton Cooperative Ltd [1998] NSWIRComm 351 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Barbosa) v Leigh Mardon Pty Ltd [1999] NSWIRComm 121 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Batty) v Graincorp Operations Ltd [2001] NSWIRComm 127 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Dawson) v Robert John Waugh (1995) 59 IR 89 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Donnelly) v Riverina Wool Combing Pty Limited [2000] NSWIRComm 29 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Kitchen) v Tixana Manufacturing Pty Ltd [2001] NSWIRComm 76 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mansell) v Australian Paper Limited (unreported, Marks J, CT 1229 of 1995, 28 March 1996) WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mansell) v Hayman Industries Pty Ltd [2003] NSWIRComm 154 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector McMartin) v Milltech Pty Ltd [2000] NSWIRComm 246 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Rech) v Defiance Foods Pty Ltd (unreported, Bauer J, CT 1080 of 1995, 1 December 1995) WorkCover Authority of New South Wales v Zac's Pax Pty Ltd (unreported, Fisher CJ, CT 1282 of 1994, 20 December 1995) HEARING DATES: 07/31/2003 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 12/09/2003