WorkCover Authority of NSW v Howard & Sons Fireworks Spectaculars Pty Limited [2000] NSWIRComm 211

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : WorkCover Authority of NSW v Howard & Sons Fireworks Spectaculars Pty Limited [2000] NSWIRComm 211 PROSECUTION: PARTIES : WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Robins) DEFENDANT: Howard & Sons Fireworks Spectaculars Pty Limited FILE NUMBER: IRC 839 of 1999 CORAM: Boland J CATCHWORDS : Occupational health and safety - prosecution under s 16(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 (NSW) - injuries to spectator from fireworks shell that failed to explode - plea of not guilty - whether particulars of charge limited the offence to one spectator - elements of s 16(1) - failure to observe minimum safety distances - defences under s 53 of OH& S Act not made out - offence proven Dangerous Goods Act 1975 LEGISLATION CITED : Dangerous Goods Regulation 1978 Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 Carrington Slipways v Callaghan (1985) 11 IR 467 Drake Personnel Ltd t/as Drake Industrial v WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector James Swee Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 432 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation Ltd (1997) 98 A Crim R 481 Ferguson v Nelmac Pty Ltd (1999) 92 IR 188 Haynes v CI & D Manufacturing Pty Ltd (1995) 60 IR 149 Italo Australian Construction Pty Ltd v Parkes (1988) 24 IR 428 CASES CITED : Shannon v Comalco Aluminium Limited (1986) 19 IR 358 Sydney City Council v Coulson (1987) 21 IR 477 WorkCover Authority of NSW v Fernz Construction Materials Ltd (1999) 91 IR 119 WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Glass) v Kellogg (Aust) Pty Ltd 2000 NSWIRComm 53 WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Keenan) v Technical and Further Education Commission (1999) 92 IR 251 WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Page) v Woolworths Limited (unreported, Peterson J, 9 September 1994) WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Reid) v CSR Limited t/as CSR Wood Panels (unreported, Bauer J, 10 August 1995) HEARING DATES: 09/04/2000; 09/05/2000; 09/06/2000 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 10/31/2000