Robert Darcy Coombs v Patrick Stevedores Holdings Pty Ltd [2004] NSWIRComm 77

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : Robert Darcy Coombs v Patrick Stevedores Holdings Pty Ltd [2004] NSWIRComm 77 PROSECUTOR Robert Darcy Coombs PARTIES : DEFENDANT Patrick Stevedores Holdings Pty Ltd FILE NUMBER: IRC 5194, 6102, 6103, 6104, 6105 of 2000 CORAM: Haylen J CATCHWORDS : Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 - s 15(1) - 5 prosecutions relating to work of straddle crane drivers - allegation of soft tissue injury - injury accumulates over time - actual injury evidence of risk to health and safety - evidence of drivers and medical practitioners accepted as to existence of soft tissue injury - causal link established between postures adopted while driving and injuries reported and treated - opportunity to exercise and/stretch and stand insufficient - obligation on employer to ensure health and safety by laying down a safe system of work and policing adherence - maintenance of cabin seat ineffective - known danger of bad seating and poor maintenance - s 53 defence not established simply by evidence of a maintenance scheme - onus on defendant to prove not reasonably practicable to comply with provisions of the Act in relation to the breach or that impracticable to make provision two pleas of guilty entered during hearing - remaining three breaches proved by prosecutor

LEGISLATION CITED : Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 s 15(1) s 49A Boral Gas (NSW) v Magill (1995) 58 IR 363 Coombs v Patrick Stevedores Holdings Pty Ltd (2001) 103 IR 417 Coombs v Patricks Stevedores Holdings Pty Ltd (2001) 104 IR 240 Coombs v Patricks Stevedores Holdings Pty Ltd (2002) 118 IR 401 Cullen v State Rail Authority (1989) 31 IR 207 at 219 Haynes v CI&D Manufacturing Pty Ltd and anor (1995) 60 IR 149 Inspector Paige v Growth Equities Services Pty Ltd [1994] NSWIRComm 95 O'Sullivan v The Crown in Right of the State of New Soth Wales (Department of Education and Training) [2003] NSWIRComm 74 CASES CITED : R v Moussad [1999] NSW CCA 337 (27 October 1999) TTS Pty Ltd v Griffiths (1991) 105 FLR 255 at 267 Vrisakis v Australian Securities Commission (1993) 9 WAR 395 (WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Bultitude) v Grice Constructions Pty Ltd (2002) 115 IR 59 WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Keenan) v Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd & Lindores Crane and Rigging (Aust) Pty Ltd [2004] NSWIRComm 31 WorkCover Authority (Inspector Patton) v Fletcher Constructions Australia Ltd (2003) 123 IR 121 at [101] WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Penfold) v Fernz Contruction Materials Ltd (1999) 91 IR 119 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mansell) v Edwards Madigan Torzillo Briggs & ors [2003] NSWIRComm 452 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales v Kevin Curran Pty Ltd [2000] NSWIRComm 55 WorkCover Authority v Rail Infrastructure Corporation (2001) 109 IR 209 HEARING DATES: 09/11/2001; 09/28/2001; 07/30/2001; 10/05/2001; 08/01/2001; 02/05/2002; 02/06/2002; 02/07/2002; 02/08/2002; 02/11/2002; 02/12/2002; 02/13/2002; 02/14/2002; 02/18/2002; 02/19/2002; 02/20/2002; 02/21/2002; 02/25/2002; 02/26/2002; 02/27/2002; 02/28/2002; 03/20/2002; 03/21/2002; 04/05/2002; 04/29/2002; 07/29/2002; 07/28/2003; 07/29/2003; 07/31/2003; 08/04/2003; 08/05/2003; 08/06/2003; 08/07/2003; 08/11/2003; 08/12/2003; 08/13/2003; 08/14/2003; 08/18/2003; 08/19/2003; 08/20/2003; 08/21/2003; 09/30/2003; 11/24/2003; 11/25/2003 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 04/02/2004