Rodney Dale Morrison v Clough Engineering Limited [2005] NSWIRComm 442

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION: Rodney Dale Morrison v Clough Engineering Limited [2005] NSWIRComm 442

Prosecutor Rodney Dale Morrison PARTIES: Defendant Clough Engineering Limited (ACN 009 093 869)

FILE NUMBER(S): 3191 of 2003

CORAM: Backman J

CATCHWORDS: Occupational Health and Safety - sentencing of corporate defendant under s 15(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 - plea of guilty - maximum penalty - system of work - reasonable foreseeability of the risk to safety - consequences of the breach - general and specific deterrence - culpability of defendant and others - contribution of defendant and others to the commission of the offence - contrition and remorse - cooperation - post-accident measures - absence of prior convictions - corporate reputation - assessment of costs - penalty - orders - costs.

Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 LEGISLATION CITED: Occupational Health & Safety Act 1983

Abigroup Construction Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (2004) 135 IR 317 Capral Aluminium Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mayo-Ramsay) (2000) 49 NSWLR 610 Department of Mineral Resources (McKensey) v Kembla Coal and Coke Pty Ltd (1999) 92 IR 8 Maddaford v CSR Limited & Mulgoa Quarries Pty Limited (2004) NSWIRComm 337 R v Thompson, R v Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 CASES CITED: Rodney Morrison v Cobar Management Pty Ltd [2005] NSWIRComm 124 South Sydney Rugby League Club Limited v Inspector Bestre (2005) 142 IR 373 Winchester (1992) 50 A Crim R 345 WorkCover Authority (Inspector Farrell) v Ross Colin Morrison (2001) NSWIRComm 325 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales v Hitchcock (2004) 135 IR 377 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Farrell) v Schrader (2002) 112 IR 284