Inspector Malone v Delta Electricity [2003] NSWIRComm 212

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : Inspector Malone v Delta Electricity [2003] NSWIRComm 212 PROSECUTOR Inspector Barry Malone PARTIES : DEFENDANT Delta Electricity FILE NUMBER: IRC4607 of 2002 CORAM: Peterson J CATCHWORDS : Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 - s16(1) - Plea of guilty at early stage - Agreed statement of facts - Death of an employee of a contractor to the defendant - Employee fell from walkway inside an air heater unit - Unit in evidence in Australian and overseas - Walkway not conforming to Australian standard - Non-compliance with Australian standards is not demonstrative of foreseeability of risk - Risk not readily foreseeable - Penalty imposed with reduction. LEGISLATION CITED : Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 s16(1) Inspector R J Egan v Caltex Refining Co Pty Limited, IRC91/989 - 18 March 1993, unreported. David Lyons v Duffy Bros Country Fresh (Darlinghurst) Pty Limited [2002] NSWIRComm 95. Inspector Larobina v Fastform NS Pty Limited [2002] NSWIRComm 343. CASES CITED : Inspector Howard v Multiplex Constructions (NSW) Pty Limited [2002] NSWIRComm 229. Inspector Howard v Boone & Willard Plumbing Pty Ltd [2002] NSWIRComm 228. Inspector Lacey v George Weston Foods Ltd [2000] NSWIRComm 19. Inspector Mulder v Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales [2001] NSWIRComm 23. Inspector Tyler v Workforce Link Pty Ltd [2001] NSWIRComm 24. R v Thompson, R v Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383. HEARING DATES: 05/20/2003 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 07/10/2003