WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Sheppard) v The State Rail Authority of New South Wales [2000] NSWIRComm 179

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Sheppard) v The State Rail Authority of New South Wales [2000] NSWIRComm 179 Prosecutor WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Sheppard) PARTIES : Defendant State Rail Authority of New South Wales FILE NUMBER: IRC 3369 of 1999 CORAM: Wright J President CATCHWORDS : Occupational health and safety - Prosecution under s16(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 - Plea of guilty - State Rail Authority - Serious amputation accident - Injury to young member of the public - Circumstances of alleged breach of safety - Principles applicable to sentencing under the Occupational Health and Safety Act - Gravity of offence - Considerations relevant to assessment of gravity - Foreseeability - Relevance of restructure of statutory corporations - Maximum penalty of $750,000 - Approach to be adopted in relation to early plea of guilt - Guideline judgment in R v Thomson, R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309 - Significance of contrition - Conduct demonstrating contrition - Defendant's prior extensive record - Defendant convicted - Fine imposed Crimes Act 1900 s 439 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 s 22 LEGISLATION CITED : Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 s 15 s 16 s 51A Transport Administration Act 1988 Baumer v The Queen (1988) 166 CLR 51 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Limited v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Capral Aluminium Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales [2000] NSWIRComm 71 Corinthian Industries (Sydney) Pty Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Wilson) [2000] NSWIRComm 46 Department of Mineral Resources of New South Wales v Kembla Coal and Coke Pty Ltd (1999) 92 IR 8 Ferguson v Nelmac Pty Ltd (1999) 92 IR 188 Fisher v Samaras Industries Pty Ltd (1998) 82 IR 384 Independent Cargo & Wool Services Pty Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mingare) (unreported, Fisher CJ, Glynn and Peterson JJ, 10 March 1994) Lawrenson Diecasting Pty Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (1999) 90 IR 464 Page v Walco Hoist Rentals Pty Ltd (No 2) [2000] NSWIRComm 39 R v Rushby [1977] NSWLR 594 CASES CITED : R v Slattery (1996) 90 A Crim R 519 R v Thomson, R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309 R v Winchester (1992) 58 A Crim R 345 Tyler v Sydney Electricity (1993) 47 IR 1 Veen v The Queen (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465 Watson v Southern Asphalters Pty Ltd (1998) 83 IR 446 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Tyler) v Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd [2000] NSWIRComm 40 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Glass) v ACI Operations Pty Limited (unreported, Schmidt J, 25 February 1994) WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Egan) v Atco Controls Pty Limited (1998) 82 IR 80 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Twynam-Perkins) v Maine Lighting (unreported, Bauer J, 13 April 1995 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Gordon) v State Rail Authority (unreported, Marks J, 27 March 1997) WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Dawson) v Waugh (1995) 59 IR 89 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mulder) v Yass Shire Council [2000] NSWIRComm 57 HEARING DATES: 03/21/2000; 03/24/2000; 04/13/2000 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 10/06/2000