WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Dall) v Litchfield Roofing Pty Ltd; Joseph Andrew Litchfield; J & T Michilis Pty Ltd (formerly known as Michilis Pty Ltd) (ACN: 073 407 397) [2003] NSWIRComm 240

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Dall) v Litchfield Roofing Pty Ltd; Joseph Andrew Litchfield; J & T Michilis Pty Ltd (formerly known as Michilis Pty Ltd) (ACN: 073 407 397) [2003] NSWIRComm 240 PROSECUTOR: Inspector Michael Dall

DEFENDANTS: PARTIES : Litchfield Roofing Pty Ltd Joseph Andrew Litchfield J & T Michilis Pty Ltd (formerly known as Michilis Pty Ltd) (ACN: 073 407 397)

FILE NUMBER: IRC 7014, 7015 and 7016 of 1999 CORAM: Staunton J CATCHWORDS : Occupational health and safety - plea of guilty - no prior convictions - objective seriousness of the offence - relative culpability of the corporate defendants - clear and foreseeable risk to safety - general and specific deterrence - issue as to whether plea entered at first reasonable opportunity - held on the facts and circumstances in these matters it had been - application of s10 of Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 to personal defendants - reasons for applying provisions of the section - personal defendant discharged without conviction or penalty - corporate defendants convicted - penalty imposed - notices of motion - defendants to pay prosecutor's costs of motion. Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 LEGISLATION CITED : Supreme Court (Summary Jurisdiction) Act 1967 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW)

Lawrenson Diecasting v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 464 Independent Cargo and Wool Services Pty Ltd v Mingare (unreported, Full Bench, CT92/1041, 10 March 1994) Capral Aluminium Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (2000) 99 IR 29 Benbow v Converquip Pty Limited (2001) NSWIR Comm 85 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Keenan) v Lucon (Australia) Pty Limited (2002) 112 IR 232 CASES CITED : Ridge Consolidated Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Maugher) (2000) 100 IR 156 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Hopkins) v Profab Industries Pty Ltd (2000) 100 IR 64 WorkCover Authority (New South Wales) v Ecolab Pty Ltd (1999) 90 IR 413 State Rail Authority of New South Wales v Dawson (1990) 37 IR 110 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Dall) v R & D Enterprises (Newcastle) Pty Ltd (2001) 110 IR 469