Inspector Martin Carmody v Leighton Contractors Pty Limited [2004] NSWIRComm 332

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : Inspector Martin Carmody v Leighton Contractors Pty Limited [2004] NSWIRComm 332 Prosecutor: PARTIES : Inspector Martin Carmody Defendant: Leighton Contractors Pty Limited FILE NUMBER: IRC4739 of 2002 CORAM: Kavanagh J CATCHWORDS : s.16 - Occupational Health & Safety Act - plea of guilty - exemption from holding demolition licence granted upon condition - exemption under Occupational Health and Safety (Demolition Licensing) Regulation 1996, Pt 4, cl 14 - failure to comply with exemption - lack of supervision - importance of supervision in circumstance of careless employee - adoption of subcontractor's inadequate work method statement - lack of particularity in risk assessment of subcontractor adopted - adoption of subcontractor risk assessment without particularity - obligation on employer in its undertaking under s.16(1) - no passing off of liability - penalty LEGISLATION CITED : Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 Fisher v Samaras Industries Pty Ltd (1996) 82 IR 384 Capral Aluminium Limited v WorkCover Authority of NSW (Insp Mayo-Ramsay) (2000) 49 NSWLR 610, (1999-2000) 99 IR 29 CASES CITED : Cameron v The Queen [2002] HCA 6 R v Sharma [2002] NSWCCA 142

HEARING DATES: 09/06/2004; 09/23/2004 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 11/16/2004

Prosecutor: Ms A.J. Katzmann SC with Mr D.B. O'Neill of counsel Solicitors: WorkCover Authority of NSW LEGAL REPRESENTATIVES: Defendant: Mr B.D. Hodgkinson SC with Mr M.L. Shume of counsel Solicitors: Carroll & O'Dea