Workcover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Maurice Vierow) v Rail Infrastructure Corporation. [2003] NSWIRComm 112

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : Workcover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Maurice Vierow) v Rail Infrastructure Corporation. [2003] NSWIRComm 112 PROSECUTOR: PARTIES : Inspector Maurice Vierow DEFENDANT: Rail Infrastructure Corporation FILE NUMBER: IRC 186 of 2002 CORAM: Staunton J CATCHWORDS : Occupational health and safety - plea of guilty - risk clearly forseeable - no proper delineation or barriers to warn workers of trains or live lines - general and specific deterrence - steps taken by defendant at time of accident to provide safe place of work significantly inadequate - significant post accident remediation steps - date of offence relevant for purposes of penalty - conviction recorded and penalty imposed LEGISLATION CITED : Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983- 16(1) Transport Administration Act 1988 Lawrenson Diecasting Pty Limited v Workcover Authority of New South Wales (1999) 90 IR 464 CASES CITED : Tyler v Sydney Electricity (1993) 47 IR 1 at 5 Capral Aluminium Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (2000) 99 IR, 29 WorkCover Authority (Inspector Campbell) v Nelmac Pty Ltd [2000] NSWIRComm 228 HEARING DATES: 03/17/2003 EXTEMPORE JUDGMENT DATE : 03/17/2003

PROSECUTOR: Mr Skinner of counsel SOLICITORS: Legal Services Branch WorkCover Authority

LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES: DEFENDANT: Mr J Gleeson QC Ms Thompson of counsel SOLICITORS: Sparke Helmore Solicitors