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] NSWIRComm 90

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : 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] NSWIRComm 90 PROSECUTOR WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ronald James Keelty) PARTIES : DEFENDANT The Crown in Right of the State of New South Wales (Police Service of New South Wales) FILE NUMBER: IRC 5288, 5289, 5290, 5291, 5721, 5722, 5723, 5724, 5725 and 5726 of 1997 CORAM: Hungerford J CATCHWORDS : Occupational Health and Safety - Prosecution of the Crown (in respect of the Police Service) for failure to ensure the health, safety and welfare of two police officers fatally injured while performing duty in an operational situation - Nature of the liability created by the statute - Identification of the relevant risk to safety - Whether the failure was that of the employer - Need for a causal connection between the failure and the detriment or risk to safety - Alleged failures related to weapons issued, training and radio communication equipment - No case to answer submission by defendant at close of prosecutor's case - Whether defendant had a case to answer - Test to apply on a no-case to answer submission - Question of law - Standard of proof to be beyond reasonable doubt.

Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 s 4(3A) s 15 s 16 s 49(4) s 49A(1) s 53 cl 23 of Sch LEGISLATION CITED : Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Police Officers) Act 2000 Police Service Act 1990 s 6 Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd v Marsden [2001] NSWCA 32 Cullen v State Rail Authority (NSW) [1989] 31 IR 207 Doney v The Queen (1990) 171 CLR 207 Drake Personnel Ltd, t/as Drake Industrial v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 432 Haynes v C I & D Manufacturing Pty Ltd (1994) 60 IR 149 Kennedy-Taylor (NSW) Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Charles) (2000) 102 IR 57 Kirkby v A & M I Hanson Pty Ltd (1994) 55 IR 40 Mainbrace Constructions Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Charles) (2000) 102 IR 84 May v O'Sullivan (1955) 92 CLR 654 R v Murphy (1985) 63 ALR 53 CASES CITED : Torrance v Cornish (1985) 79 FLR 87 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ankucic) v Drake Personnel Ltd, t/as Drake Industrial (No 1) (1997) 89 IR 374 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Batty) v Crown in Right of the State of New South Wales (Department of Education and Training) [2000] NSWIRComm 181 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Clark) v Jabboury [2001] NSWIRComm 78 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 Ltd (No 1) (1999) 101 IR 239 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Hannan) v Bitupave Ltd, t/as Boral Asphalt (2000) 98 IR 246 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mayo-Ramsay) v Maitland City Council (1998) 83 IR 362 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector McMartin) v Broken Hill Pty Co Ltd (1999) 96 IR 32 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Tuckley) v Crown in Right of the State of New South Wales (Department of Community Services) (1999) 96 IR 1 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Twynam-Perkins) v Maine Lighting Pty Ltd (1995) 100 IR 248 Zanetti v Hill (1962) 108 CLR 433 HEARING DATES: 02/20/2001; 02/22/2001 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 05/02/2001