WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mansell) v Daly Smith Corporation (Aust) Pty Limited and Thomas Edwin Curtis Smith [2004] NSWIRComm 349

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mansell) v Daly Smith Corporation (Aust) Pty Limited and Thomas Edwin Curtis Smith [2004] NSWIRComm 349 PROSECUTOR: WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Mansell) PARTIES : DEFENDANTS: Daly Smith Corporation (Aust) Pty Limited Thomas Edwin Curtis Smith FILE NUMBER: IRC 3374 and 3376 of 2002 CORAM: Staunton J CATCHWORDS : Occupational health and safety - corporate defendant being a labour hire company charged with breach of s15 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 - personal defendant charged pursuant to s15(1) and deeming provisions of s50(1) of the Act - pleas of not guilty - principles applicable generally including to labour hire companies - offences found proved - defences under s53(a) and (b) of the Act considered relevant to corporate defendant - onus not discharged except in relation to one particularised failure - offences arising with respect to natural person defendant pursuant to deeming provisions of s50(1) of the Act - defences under s50(1) of the Act relevant to natural person defendant - meaning of 'all due diligence' for the purposes of s50(1)(d) of the Act - offences found proved with respect to corporate defendant and natural person defendant - penalty and costs to be determined. LEGISLATION CITED : Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 Cullen v State Rail Authority of NSW (1989) 31 IR 207 Drake Personnel t/as Drake Industrial v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 432 Edwards v National Coal Board [1949] 1 KB 704 Haynes v C.I and D Manufacturing Pty Limited (1994) 60 IR 149 Hookham v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 450 Italo Australia Construction Pty Limited v Parkes (1988) 24 IR 428 McMartin v Broken Hill Proprietary Co Limited (1988) 100 IR 241 CASES CITED : McMartin v Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company and others (2004) NSWIRComm 202 Mainbrace Constructions Pty Limited v WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Charles) (2000) 102 IR 84 R v Bata Industries Ltd (No 2) (1992) 7 CELR (NS) 245 Shannon v Comalco Aluminium Ltd (1986) 19 IR 358 Slivak v Lurgi (Australia) Pty Ltd (2001) 75 ALJR 481 State Rail Authority of New South Wales v Dawson (1990) 37 IR 110 WorkCover Authority of NSW v Fletcher Constructions Australia Limited (2002) 123 IR 121 WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Byer) v Cleary Bros (Bombo) Pty Ltd (2001) 110 IR 182 WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Legge) v Coffey Engineering Pty Ltd (No. 2) (2001) 110 IR 447 HEARING DATES: 07/05/2004; 07/06/2004; 07/07/2004; 07/08/2004; 07/09/2004; 10/07/2004; 10/08/2004 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 12/10/2004