WorkCover Authority of NSW (Insp Vierow) v Transfield Pty Ltd [2002] NSWIRComm 77

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : WorkCover Authority of NSW (Insp Vierow) v Transfield Pty Ltd [2002] NSWIRComm 77 PROSECUTOR WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Vierow) PARTIES : DEFENDANT Transfield Pty Ltd FILE NUMBER: 4860 of 2000, 5713 of 2000 CORAM: Peterson J CATCHWORDS : Occupational Health and Safety s.15(1) - plea of guilty - two separate offences - failure of system of work employed to move the Ventcan - failure to maintain plant - failure to provide or maintain safe system of work for the erection of handrails around penetration openings - simple steps to avoid each accident - lower degree of foreseeability in Ventcan incident - prior convictions of defendant - corporate character of defendant - positive approach taken to OH&S issues - need for general and specific deterrence still a necessary factor in sentencing equation - no application of principle of totality - discount of 20% for utilitarian value of early pleas LEGISLATION CITED : Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 WorkCover Authority of NSW (Insp. Dubois) v Transfield Pty. Ltd. [2000] NSWIRComm 204 (8 November 2000) Capral Aluminium Limited v The WorkCover Authority of New South Wales [2000] IRComm 71 (21 July 2000) Warman International Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (1998) 80 IR 326 Crown in Right of the State of New South Wales (Department of Education and Training) v Keenan [2001] NSWIRComm 106 (25 May 2001) CASES CITED : Close (1993) 65 A Crim R 55 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector McMartin) v Transfield Pty Limited trading as Transfield Maintenance (No. 2) [2001] NSWIR Comm 209 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Olive) v Transfield Pty Limited [2001] NSWIRComm 295 (23 November 2001) Inspector Jones v Transfield Construction (unreported, CT1217 of 1996, 28 November 1997) Channon v The Queen (1978) 20 ALR 1 per Deane J HEARING DATES: 10/17/2001 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 04/19/2002