Inspector Prasad De Silva v Spicer Axle Australia Pty Ltd [2005] NSWIRComm 278

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION: Inspector Prasad De Silva v Spicer Axle Australia Pty Ltd [2005] NSWIRComm 278

Appellant: Inspector Prasad De Silva PARTIES: Respondent: Spicer Axle Australia Pty Ltd (ACN: 004 256 982)

FILE NUMBER(S): IRC 6964 of 2004

CORAM: Walton J Vice-President; Boland J; Backman J

CATCHWORDS: Application for leave to appeal and appeal - occupational health and safety - concession by respondent that penalty manifestly inadequate - miscarriage of sentencing discretion at first instance - insufficient weight given to foreseeability of the risk - failure to consider principle of general and specific deterrence - error in assessing penalties by reference to the jurisdictional limit rather than by reference to the maximum penalty - subjective features - leave to appeal granted - appeal upheld - fresh penalty imposed - no order as to costs.

LEGISLATION CITED: Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000

Beacham v Interface Manufacturing Pty Ltd and Another [2005] NSWIRComm 123 Capral Aluminium Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (2000) 49 NSWLR 610 Drake Personnel Ltd t/as Drake Industrial v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 432 Glass v Flexible Packaging (Australia) Pty Limited [2005] NSWIRComm 93 Inspector Maddaford v Graham Gerard Coleman & Anor [2004] NSWIRComm 317 CASES CITED: Inspector Waterhouse v Stephensons Cranes Pty Limited [2005] NSWIRComm 103 Lawrenson Diecasting Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 464 Maddaford v CSR Limited and Mulgoa Quarries Pty Ltd [2004] NSWIRComm 337 O'Sullivan v The Crown in Right of the State of New South Wales (Department of Education and Training) (2003) 125 IR 361 R v Thompson, R v Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Buggy) v Weathertex Pty Ltd (2003) 127 IR 60