METCASH TRADING LIMITED v GHEORGHE SCRIPCARIU [2006] NSWCA 78

Reported Decision : (2006) Aust Torts Reports 81-841

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: METCASH TRADING LIMITED v GHEORGHE SCRIPCARIU [2006] NSWCA 78

HEARING DATE(S): 2 February 2006

JUDGMENT DATE: 11 April 2006

JUDGMENT OF: Mason P at 1; Santow JA at 55; Ipp JA at 56

DECISION: Appeal dismissed with costs.

CATCHWORDS: NEGLIGENCE – Employer's duty of care – Duty to provide safe system of work – Extends to duty to establish, maintain and enforce safe system - NEGLIGENCE – Employer's duty of care – Duty to provide safe system of work – Duty to provide adequate instructions – Lifting work – Where employees expected to maintain "pick rate" – Whether encouraged unsafe lifting techniques – Whether ongoing instruction necessary - NEGLIGENCE – Employer's duty of care – Duty to provide safe system of work – Duty to provide adequate instructions – Lifting work – Where storage warehouse configuration rendered instructed safe lifting techniques impracticable – Not safe system - NEGLIGENCE – Employer's duty of care – Duty to provide safe system of work – Duty to provide adequate instructions – Use of instructional video – Where employee from non-English-speaking background (ND)

Bankstown Foundry Pty Ltd v Braistina (1986) 160 CLR 301 Czatyrko v Edith Cowan University [2005] HCA 14, 79 ALJR 839 Hadid v Redpath [2001] NSWCA 416 CASES CITED: Hume v Walton [2005] NSWCA 148 McLean v Tedman (1984) 155 CLR 306 TNT Australia Pty Ltd v Christie [2003] NSWCA 47). Vozza v Tooth & Co Ltd (1964) 112 CLR 316

PARTIES: METCASH TRADING LIMITED v Gheorghe SCRIPCARIU

FILE NUMBER(S): CA 40395/2005

COUNSEL: Appellant: J E Sexton SC Respondent: S G Campbell SC/ R I Harrington