WorkCover (Inspector Patton) v P & M Denton Building Constructions Pty Ltd and Provincial Homes Pty Ltd [2003] NSWIRComm 171

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : WorkCover (Inspector Patton) v P & M Denton Building Constructions Pty Ltd and Provincial Homes Pty Ltd [2003] NSWIRComm 171 PROSECUTOR: WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Patton) PARTIES : DEFENDANT: P & M Denton Building Constructions Pty Ltd Provincial Homes Pty Ltd FILE NUMBER: 3086 of 2002 & 3087 of 2002 CORAM: Staunton J CATCHWORDS : Occupational health and safety - plea of guilty - absence of proper fall protection measures - objective seriousness of the offence - foreseeability of risk - availability of remediation steps - general and specific deterrence - financial circumstances of the defendants - parity in sentencing - penalty imposed LEGISLATION CITED : Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 Lawrenson Diecasting Pty Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales 90 IR 464 Tyler v Sydney Electricity 47 IR 1 Capral Aluminium Pty Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (2000) 99 IR 29 CASES CITED : WorkCover Authority v Schraeder 112 IR 284 R v Postiglione (1987) 189 CLR 295 Doan (Chan Thi Bao) (unreported) (NSW CCA 27 September 1996) Steele (Robert Ernest) (unreported, NSW CCA 17 April 1997) WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mansell) v Orica Australia Pty Limited 116 IR 158 HEARING DATES: 04/28/2003 EXTEMPORE JUDGMENT DATE : 04/28/2003

PROSECUTOR: Mr G Phillips SOLICITORS: Carroll & O'Dea