Boyded Industries P/L v Canuto [2004] NSWCA 256

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Boyded Industries P/L v Canuto [2004] NSWCA 256 HEARING DATE(S) : 9 March 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 30 July 2004

JUDGMENT OF : Beazley JA at 1; Santow JA at 32; Stein AJA at 66 DECISION : Appeal allowed with costs.

CATCHWORDS : NEGLIGENCE - respondent/employee injured herself when glass shattered after she sat on glass table at used car premises occupied by appellant/quasi-employer - respondent employed by owner of the premises Auburn Services Trust - whether the appellant or Auburn Services Trust was liable in negligence either as, or with duties equivalent to, the employer of employee - at time of accident appellant accepted employee had worked at those premises under its direction, supervision and control - whether respondent was contributorily negligent - extent of duty of care to maintain safe system of work - distinction between maintaining safe system of work and simple uncomplicated operation within normal system of work involving obvious danger in ordinary commonsense. - CAUSATION - whether causation and breach of duty were before trial judge - whether warning sign or verbal warnings would have averted accident - Van der Sluice considered - whether unsafe practice had developed - provision of safe working environment. Andar Transport Pty Limited v Brambles Ltd [2004] HCA 28 Bankstown Foundry Pty. Ltd. v. Braistina (1986) 160 CLR 301 Bourke v. Butterfield & Lewis Ltd (1927) 38 CLR 354 Bus v. Sydney City Council (1989) 167 CLR 78 Cole v South Tweed Heads Rugby League Football Club Ltd (2004) 207 ALR 52 Davies v. Adelaide Chemical & Fertilizer Co. Ltd. (1946) 74 CLR 541 Ghantous v. Hawkesbury Shire Council (2001) 206 CLR 512 Ghunaim v Bart [2004] NSWCA 28 Hamilton v. Nuroof (W.A.) Pty. Ltd. (1956) 96 CLR 18 CASES CITED : Liftronic Pty Ltd v Unver (2001) 179 ALR 321 McLean v. Tedman (1984) 155 CLR 306 Nicol v Allyacht Spars Pty. Limited (1987) 163 CLR 611 Parsons v Randwick Municipal Council [2003] NSWCA 171 Sungravure Pty. Ltd. v. Meani [1964] 110 CLR 24 TNT Australia Pty Limited v Christie & Ors (2003) NSWCA 47 Twynam Pastoral Co Pty Ltd v Bennett [2002] NSWCA 319 Van Der Sluice v Display Craft Pty Ltd [2002] NSWCA 204 Waverley Municipal Council v Swain [2003] NSWCA 61 Woods v Multi-Sport Holdings Pty Limited (2002) 208 CLR 460 Wyong Shire Council v Short (1980) 146 CLR 40 PARTIES : BOYDED INDUSTRIES PTY LTD t/as Boyded Parramatta (Appellant) Grace CANUTO (Respondent) FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40077/03 COUNSEL : C R R HOEBEN, SC (Appellant) G B HALL, QC/ C LOCKE (Respondent) SOLICITORS : Curwood & Partners (Appellant) Velleley & Associates (Respondent)