WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector McMartin) v Transfield Pty Ltd, t/as Transfield Maintenance (No 2) [2001] NSWIRComm 289

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector McMartin) v Transfield Pty Ltd, t/as Transfield Maintenance (No 2) [2001] NSWIRComm 289 PROSECUTOR WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Steven Finlay McMartin) PARTIES : DEFENDANT Transfield Pty Limited, t/as Transfield Maintenance FILE NUMBER: IRC 4586 and 4587 of 1999 CORAM: Hungerford J CATCHWORDS : Occupational Health and Safety - Prosecutions for failure to ensure safety - Explosion causing serious injuries to two workers - Use of oxy/propane cutting equipment in repair of a steelmaking ladle - Plea of not guilty changed to guilty during the hearing on amendment of the charges - Objective seriousness of offences in terms of nature and quality - Subjective features in mitigation - Record of prior convictions - Application of guideline judgment in sentencing process - Parity principle - Principle of totality - Defendant convicted - Fines imposed, with moiety to prosecutor - Costs. LEGISLATION CITED : Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 s 15(1) s 16(1) s 49A Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Crown in Right of the State of New South Wales (Department of Education and Training) v Keenan (2001) 105 IR 181 Drake Personnel Ltd, t/as Drake Industrial v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 432 Lawrenson Diecasting Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 464 Pearce v The Queen (1998) 194 CLR 610 Postiglione v The Queen (1997) 189 CLR 295 CASES CITED : R v McNellee, Tucker and Dalley [2000] NSWSC 1154 R v Ryan [2000] NSWSC 724 R v Thomson, R v Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Callaghan) v Saunders Constructions Pty Ltd (unreported, Maidment J, CT93/1062, 26 November 1993) WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Dubois) v Transfield Pty Ltd [2000] NSWIRComm 204 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Jones) v Transfield Construction Pty Ltd (unreported, Bauer J, CT96/1217, 28 November 1997) WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector McMartin) v Broken Hill Pty Co Ltd, t/as Rod, Bar & Wire (2000) 101 IR 318 Warman International Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ankucic) (1998) 80 IR 326 HEARING DATES: 09/04/2000; 09/05/2000; 09/06/2000; 09/07/2000; 09/12/2000; 05/28/2001; 05/31/2001 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 11/14/2001