WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Childs) v Kirk Group Holdings Pty Limited and Anor [2004] NSWIRComm 207

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales

CITATION : WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Childs) v Kirk Group Holdings Pty Limited and Anor [2004] NSWIRComm 207 revised - 19/01/2005 PROSECUTOR: WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Childs) PARTIES : DEFENDANT: Kirk Group Holdings Pty Limited Graeme Joseph Kirk FILE NUMBER: IRC 1730, 1731, 1732 & 1733 of 2003 CORAM: Walton J Vice-President CATCHWORDS : Occupational health and safety - prosecutions under ss 15, 16 and 50 - deemed contraventions - failure to establish a safe system of work - all terrain vehicle (ATV) - access to ATV - failure to provide information, instruction, training or supervision - safety manual - failure to conduct risk assessment - risk must be assessed having regard to the particular conditions in which the ATV will be used - risk of ATV overturning when used off-road or for towing - liablity is absolute or strict - delegation of responsibility - obligation to be proactive in securing health and safety - duty owed to careless employees - risk need not be reasonably foreseeable - causal connection - discussion of unduly remote risks - discussion of detriment to safety - s53 - foreseeability relevant to defence - no defence - charges proven Evidence Act 1995 LEGISLATION CITED : Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 ABB Power Transmission Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Wilson) (unreported, CT 1215 of 1996, 2 May 1997) Cullen v State Rail Authority (NSW) (1989) 31 IR 207 Dunlop Rubber Australia Ltd v Buckley (1952) 87 CLR 313 Drake Personnel Ltd t/as Drake Industrial v WorkCover Authority (NSW) (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 432 Genner Constructions Pty Limited v Workcover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Guillarte) (2001) 110 IR 57 Haynes v C I & D Manufacturing Pty Ltd (1995) 60 IR 149 He Kaw Teh v The Queen (1985) CLR 523 Inspector Neil Buggy v Weathertex Pty Limited [2003] NSWIRComm 273 Kirkby v A & M I Hanson (1994) 55 IR 40 McLean v Tedman (1984) 155 CLR 306 McMartin v The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Ltd (unreported, Grove J, 5 February 1988, p7) O'Sullivan v The Crown in the Right of the State of New South Wales (Department of Education and Training) (2003) 125 IR 361 CASES CITED : Ridge Consolidated Pty Ltd v Mauger (2002) 115 IR 78 Shannon v Comalco Aluminium Pty Ltd v Callaghan [1985] 11 IR 467 State Rail Authority v Dawson [1990] 37 IR 110 Workcover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Byer) v Cleary Bros (Bombo) Pty Ltd (2001) 110 IR 182 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Egan) v Atco Controls Pty Ltd (1998) 82 IR 80 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Glass) v Kellogg (Aust) Pty Limited (No 1) (2000) 101 IR 239 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Keelty) v Crown in Right of the State of New South Wales (Police Service of New South Wales) (No 2) (2001) 104 IR 268 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Legge) v Coffey Engineering Pty Limited (No 2) (2001) 110 IR 447 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mulder) v Arbor Products International (Australia) Pty Ltd (2001) 105 IR 81 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Patton) v Fletcher Constructions Australia Ltd (2003) 123 IR 121 WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Smith) v Dubavo Pty Ltd (unreported, CT 1247 of 1993, Peterson J, 24 July 1995) WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Twynam-Perkins) v Maine Lighting Pty Limited (1995) 100 IR 248 WorkCover v TRW [2001] NSWIRComm 52 HEARING DATES: 02/10/2004; 02/11/2004; 04/05/2004 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 08/09/2004