Page v Walco Hoist Rentals Pty Ltd (No 2) [2000] NSWIRComm 39

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : Page v Walco Hoist Rentals Pty Ltd (No 2) [2000] NSWIRComm 39 PROSECUTION WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspectaor Victor Page) PARTIES : DEFENDANTS Walco Hoist Rentals Pty Limited Eric Clive Barber FILE NUMBER: IRC 1922 - 1931 of 1998 CORAM: Wright J President CATCHWORDS : Occupational health and safety - Prosecutions under s 15(1) s 16(1) and s 50(1) of the OH&S Act - Pleas of guilty - Fatal accident in the construction industry - Circumstances of alleged breach of safety - Sentencing in OH&S prosecutions - Principles applicable to sentencing under the OH&S Act - Gravity of offence - Approach to be adopted in relation to a plea of guilty - Related proceedings against manager of company pursuant to s 50 OH&S Act - Approach to be adopted where breach of safety and consequent accident involves multiplicity of employers or contractors on building site - Extraordinary circumstances of defendants - Significance of such circumstances - Significance of prosecution's failure to proceed against other employers or contractors - Dismissal of certain proceedings pursuant to s 556A, Crimes Act 1900 - Means of defendants - Consideration of individual circumstances of defendants - Defendants convicted - Fines imposed. Crimes Act 1900 s 439 s 556A LEGISLATION CITED : Fines Act 1996 s 6 Occupational Health & Safety Act 1983 s 15(1) s 16(1) s 50(1) Alcatel Australia Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (1996) 70 IR 90 Boral Gas (NSW) Pty Ltd v Magill (1995) 37 NSWLR 150 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Limited v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Cranssen v The King (1936) 55 CLR 509 Department of Mineral Resources of NSW v AM Hoipo & Sons Pty Ltd [2000] NSWIRComm 16 Dowling v Overtop Pty Limited (1998) 86 IR 319 Ferguson v Nelmac Pty Limited (1999) 92 IR 188 Fletcher Construction Australia Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Fisher) (1999) 91 IR 66 Haynes v James Glass and Aluminium Pty Limited (unreported, Fisher CJ, CT91/772-775, 20 May 1994) House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 Independent Cargo & Wool Services Pty Ltd v Mingare (unreported, Fisher CJ, Glynn and Peterson JJ, CT92/1041, 10 March 1994) Inspector Hannah v Wonar Pty Limited (unreported, Fisher CJ, Glynn and Cullen JJ, CT90/1214, 30 June 1992) Lawrenson Diecasting Pty Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 464 Nesmat Pty Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (1998) 87 IR 312 Page v Walco Hoist Rentals Pty Limited (1999) 87 IR 286 R v Allpass (1993) 72 A Crim R 561 CASES CITED : R v Dodd (1991) 57 A Crim R 349 R v Gordon (1994) 71 A Crim R 459 R v Hartikainen (unreported, Court of Criminal Appeal, 8 June 1993) R v Huang (1995) 78 A Crim R 111 R v Olbrich (1999) 73 ALJR 1550 R v Radich [1954] NZLR 86 at 87 R v Rahme (1989) 43 A Crim R 81 R v Rushby [1977] 1 NSWLR 594 R v Sgroi (1989) 40 A Crim R 197 R v Slattery (1996) 90 A Crim R 519 R v Winchester (1992) 58 A Crim R 345 Tyler v Sydney Electricity (1993) 47 IR 1 Warman International Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (1998) 80 IR 326 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Hannah) v Albury City Council (1999) 90 IR 397 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ankucic) v McDonald's Australia Limited (unreported, IRC98/1104 and 1106, 4 February 2000) WorkCover Authority of New South Wales v Overtop Pty Ltd (1998) 86 IR 319 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales v Waugh (1995) 59 IR 89 HEARING DATES: 09/13/1999; 10/18/1999 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 04/04/2000