Inspector Ankucic v William George Young [2004] NSWIRComm 184

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : Inspector Ankucic v William George Young [2004] NSWIRComm 184 PROSECUTOR Inspector Petar Ankucic PARTIES : DEFENDANT William George Young FILE NUMBER: 6447 of 2002 CORAM: Staff J CATCHWORDS : Occupational health and safety - Prosecution under s 16(2) of the Occupational Health & Safety Act 1983 - Building industry - Electrical installation - Defendant self employed electrician - Domestic construction site - Defendant installed electric switches - Defendant failed to erect wall sheeting around switches - Obvious risk to safety - Risk arising from defendant's undertaking - Risk foreseeable - Plea of guilty - Risk common to building sites - Penalty - Principles - Subjective features - General deterrence - Specific deterrence - Consideration of defendant's limited financial resources - Discounts - Penalty imposed - Occupational Health & Safety Act 1983 (NSW), s 16(2) LEGISLATION CITED : Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 Occupational Health & Safety Act 1983 Capral Aluminium Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mayo-Ramsay) (2000) 49 NSWLR 610, (2000) 99 IR 29 Department of Mineral Resources of NSW (McKensey) v Kembla Coal and Coke Pty Ltd (1999) 92 IR 8 Fisher v Samaras Industries Pty Ltd (1996) 82 IR 384 Fletcher Constructions Australia Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Fisher) (1999) 91 IR 66 Lawrenson Diecasting Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 464 CASES CITED : Manpac Industries Pty Ltd (formerly t/a Pacific Concrete and Quarries Pty Ltd) v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Glass) (2001) 106 IR 435 Nesmat Pty Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (1998) 87 IR 312R v Rushby [1977] 1 NSWLR 594 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ankucic) v McDonald's Australia Limited and Anor (1999) 95 IR 383 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Farrell) v Morrison (No 2) (2002) 112 IR 312 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Kelsey) v University of Sydney [1997] NSWIRComm 44 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Page) v Walco Hoist Rentals Pty Limited (No 2) (2000) 99 IR 163 HEARING DATES: 05/24/2004 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 06/25/2004