WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Robins) v Labour Co-operative Ltd (No 2) [2002] NSWIRComm 2

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Robins) v Labour Co-operative Ltd (No 2) [2002] NSWIRComm 2 PROSECUTOR WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Steven Robins) PARTIES : DEFENDANT Labour Co-operative Limited FILE NUMBER: IRC 2974 of 2000 CORAM: Hungerford J CATCHWORDS : Occupational Health and Safety - Prosecution for failure to ensure health, safety and welfare at work of employee - Plea of not guilty - Offence found proven - Assessment of appropriate penalty - Sentencing process - Objective nature and quality of offence - Subjective features - Defendant a labour hire company - Client also charged and sentenced for an offence arising out of same incident - Consistency in sentencing - Deterrence - No prior convictions - Contrition - Conviction entered - Fine imposed, with moiety to prosecutor - Defendant to pay prosecutor's costs in assessed amount. LEGISLATION CITED : Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 s 15 s 16 s 53 Capral Aluminium Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mayo-Ramsay) (2000) 49 NSWLR 610, (2000) 99 IR 29 Dowling v Overtop Pty Ltd (1998) 86 IR 319 Drake Personnel Ltd, t/as Drake Industrial v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 432 Fisher v Samaras Industries Pty Ltd (1996) 82 IR 384 CASES CITED : Lawrenson Diecasting Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 464 R v Rushby [1977] 1 NSWLR 594 Robins v CSR Ltd, t/as CSR Timber Products [2001] NSWIRComm 296 Warman International Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (1998) 80 IR 326 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ankucic) v McDonald's Australia Ltd (2000) 95 IR 383 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Robins) v Labour Co-operative Ltd (No 1) [2001] NSWIRComm 223 HEARING DATES: 10/18/2001 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 01/10/2002