Morrison v Centennial Coal Company Ltd [2010] NSWIRComm 4

Industrial Court of New South Wales

CITATION: Morrison v Centennial Coal Company Ltd [2010] NSWIRComm 4

Rodney Dale Morrison (Prosecutor) PARTIES: Centennial Coal Company Ltd (Defendant in IRC2008/1190) Centennial Angus Place Pty Ltd (Defendant in IRC2008/1191)

FILE NUMBER(S): IRC 1190 and 1191 of 2008

CORAM: Boland J President

CATCHWORDS: OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY - Prosecutions under s 8(2) of Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 - Guilty pleas - Mining industry - Death of contractor's employee - Unplanned release of hydraulic fluid under high pressure - Nature and quality of offence - Foreseeability - Steps available to avoid risk - Nature of injury - Deterrence - Subjective considerations - Relative culpability - Penalty imposed.

LEGISLATION CITED: Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000

Capral Aluminium Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (2000) 49 NSWLR 610 Department of Mineral Resources of NSW (McKensey) v Kembla Coal & Coke Pty Ltd (1999) 92 IR 8 at 25 Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Environment Protection Authority v Hardt [2007] NSWLEC 284 Howard v Baulderstone Hornibrook Pty Ltd [2009] NSWIRComm 92; (2009) 186 IR 125 Inspector Kent v Duct Master Pty Ltd [2009] NSWIRComm 143 CASES CITED: Inspector Legge v Intercast & Forge Pty Limited [2006] NSWIRComm 182 Inspector Mayo-Ramsay (WorkCover Authority of NSW) v The Crown in the Right of the State of New South Wales (NSW Fire Brigades) (No 2) [2007] NSWIRComm 168 Inspector Patton v Western Freight Management Pty Ltd (No 2) [2009] NSWIRComm 124 Markarian v R [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 Morrison v Clarence Coal Pty Ltd and Centennial Coal Company Limited [2007] NSWIRComm 270 Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company Pty Ltd v McMartin [2006] NSWIRComm 339; (2006) 159 IR 121 Warman International Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (1998) 80 IR 326