Inspector Stephen Campbell v James Gordon Hitchcock [2005] NSWIRComm 34

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION: Inspector Stephen Campbell v James Gordon Hitchcock [2005] NSWIRComm 34

PROSECUTOR Inspector Stephen Campbell PARTIES: DEFENDANT James Gordon Hitchcock

FILE NUMBER(S): IRC 5660 & 5661 of 2001

CORAM: Walton J Vice-President

CATCHWORDS: Occupational Health and Safety - fatal accident - sentencing - findings of fact at trial - high objective seriousness - not only risk but present danger - system not only failed to reduce risk, but exacerbated it - risk not only reasonably forseeable but well-known - availability of simple and obvious remedial measures - general deterrence of primary importance - specific deterrence - limited subjective features - discussion of maximum penalty - totality - penalty - orders

Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 LEGISLATION CITED: Fines Act 1996 Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983

Capral Aluminium Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (2000) 49 NSWLR 610 Department of Mineral Resources of NSW (Chief Inspector Bruce Robert McKensey v Kembla Coal and Coke Pty Ltd (1999) 92 IR 8 Drake Personnel Ltd t/as Drake Industrial v WorkCover Authority (NSW) (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 432 Inspector Barry Childs v Kirk Group Holdings Pty Limited & Anor [2005] NSWIRComm 1 Inspector Campbell v James Gordon Hitchcock [2004] NSWIRComm 87 Inspector Gregory Maddaford v Graham Gerard Coleman & Anor [2004] NSWIRComm 317 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 Manpac Industries Pty Ltd (formerly trading as Pacific Concrete & Quarries Pty Ltd) v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Glass) (2001) 106 IR 435 Morrison v Powercoal Pty Ltd (2003) 130 IR 364 O'Sullivan v The Crown in the Right of the State of New South Wales (Department of Education and Training) (2003) 128 IR 158 CASES CITED: R v Vusumuzi Twala (unreported, Court of Criminal Appeal, 4 November 1994) R v Way (2004) 60 NSWLR 168 Riley v Australian Grader Hire Pty Limited (2001) 103 IR 143 Warman International Ltd v WorkCover Authority of NSW (1998) 80 IR 326 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ankucic) v McDonald's Australia Limited and Anor (2000) 95 IR 383 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Farrell) v Schrader (2002) 112 IR 284 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Larkin) v Rice Growers Co-operative Limited (2002) 120 IR 123 WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Riley) v Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (1998) 83 IR 427 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Twynam-Perkins) v Maine Lighting Pty Limited (1995) 100 IR 248