Inspector Walker v Great Lakes Community Resources Incorporated t-as Workplace Services [2010] NSWIRComm 182

Industrial Court of New South Wales

CITATION: Inspector Walker v Great Lakes Community Resources Incorporated t-as Workplace Services [2010] NSWIRComm 182

PARTIES: Inpector Walker (Prosecutor) Great Lakes Community Resources Incorporated t/as Workplace Services (Defendant)

FILE NUMBER(S): IRC323 of 2010

CORAM: Kavanagh J

CATCHWORDS: OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY - breach of s 8(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 by defendant - guilty plea - injury to employee - failure to provide safe system of work for particular task - task not risk assessed - failure to provide general training and instruction - failure to provide adequate supervision of task - failure to recognise poor condition of machinery - foreseeability a factor - gravity of the potential risk - simple and straightforward steps to remedy the defects in the system available - general and specific deterrence - remorse shown and contrition expressed - evidence of ongoing corporate commitment to safe working - penalty

Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 s 21A,s 22,s 23,s 34 LEGISLATION CITED: Fines Act 1996 s 6 Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 s 8(1)

Cahill v State of NSW (Department of Community Services (No 4) [2008] NSWIRComm 201 Capral Aluminium Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales [2000] NSWIRComm 71; (2000) 49 NSWLR 610 Drake Personnel t/as Drake Industrial v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector James Swee Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 432 Lawrenson Diecasting Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 464 CASES CITED: Markarian v R [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 215 ALR 213; (2005) 228 CLR 357 Morrison v Powercoal Pty Limited [2003] NSWIRComm 416; (2003) 130 IR 364 R v Gallagher (1991) 23 NSWLR 220 R v Thomson; R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309; (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 R v Way [2004] NSWCCA 131; (2004) 60 NSWLR 168 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) v ACI Operations Pty Limited (Industrial Court of NSW, Schmidt J, 25 February 1994, unreported)