Inspector Nicholson v Gallagher [2012] NSWIRComm 121

Industrial Relations Commission New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Inspector Nicholson v Gallagher [2012] NSWIRComm 121 Hearing dates: 15 August 2012 Decision date: 09 November 2012 Jurisdiction: Industrial Court of NSW Before: Walton J, Vice-President Decision: 1. The defendant is convicted of the offence as charged. 2. The defendant is fined the sum of $10,000 with a moiety to the prosecutor. 3. Costs are reserved. Catchwords: OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY - prosecution under s 8(1) by virtue of s 26(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 - defendant a director of a corporation - corporation went into voluntary liquidation after incident - risk of injury by coming into contact with dangerous moving parts of conveyor machine at waste recycling and disposal plant - employees required to transit in close proximity to conveyors - conveyor unguarded on day of incident - young and inexperienced worker exposed to risk - inadequate supervision - worker became entangled in conveyor - serious injury suffered - plea of guilty - sentencing - objective factors - maximum penalty - risk was foreseeable - systems in place prior to incident inadequate - simple remedial measures available - general and specific deterrence - culpability of defendant - defendant "hands on" manager - no aggravating factors - mitigating factors - offence serious - subjective factors - remorse and contrition - assistance to injured worker - impact on defendant - co-operation with prosecutor - discount for plea - first offence - consideration of s 6 of the Fines Act 1996 and the defendant's capacity to pay - discretion exercised to reduce penalty under Fines Act - strength of financial evidence before the Court affected by absence financial material - some reduction in penalty by virtue of mitigating and subjective factors - penalty imposed - moiety - costs reserved Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 Fines Act 1996 Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 Cases Cited: Alcatel Australia Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Clyant) (1996) 70 IR 99 Capral Aluminium Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales [2000] NSWIRComm 71; (2000) 49 NSWLR 610; (2000) 99 IR 29 Corinthian Industries (Sydney) Pty Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Wilson) [2000] NSWIRComm 46; (2000) 99 IR 159 Department of Mineral Resources of NSW (McKensey) v Kembla Coal & Coke Pty Ltd (1999) 92 IR 8 Environmental Protection Authority v N (1992) 26 NSWLR 352 Ferguson v Nelmac Pty Limited (1999) 92 IR 188 Inspector Dall v Ullrich [2012] NSWIRComm 87 Inspector Estreich v Hadfield [2012] NSWIRComm 88 Inspector Fraser v Karabelas (No 2) [2011] NSWIRComm 153 Inspector Gregory Maddaford v Graham Gerard Coleman & Anor [2004] NSWIRComm 317; (2004) 138 IR 21 Inspector Guillarte v Trustees of De La Salle Brothers [2004] NSWIRComm 49 Inspector Hannah v Wonar Pty Ltd (unreported, Fisher CJ, CT90/1214, 30 June 1992 Inspector Howard v Baulderstone Hornibrook Pty Ltd [2009] NSWIRComm 92; (2009) 186 IR 125 Inspector Jelley v Lanza Management Pty Ltd and Guiliano Lanza [2008] NSWIRComm 125 Inspector Jones v Challita and Anor [2006] NSWIRComm 207; (2006) 153 IR 409 Inspector Jose Barbosa v Newstart 150 Pty Ltd t/as Style Wise Interiors [2002] NSWIRComm 64; (2002) 113 IR 78 Inspector Kent v Duct Master Pty Ltd [2009] NSWIRComm 143 Inspector Lai v Rexma Pty Ltd and Another [2008] NSWIRComm 78; (2008) 172 IR 210 Inspector Lancaster v M L Colturi Sawmills Pty Ltd [2011] NSWIRComm 47 Inspector Richard Mulder v GRD Minproc Ltd [2008] NSWIRComm 82 Inspector Stephen Charles v Premier Precast Pty Limited [2009] NSWIRComm 136 Inspector Williams v H P Woods (Holding) Pty Ltd [2011] NSWIRComm 114 Inspector Yeung v Thiess Pty Ltd (No 2) [2004] NSWIRComm 96 JT & LC Tippett Pty Limited and RD & LF Tippett Pty Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales [2008] NSWIRComm 177; (2008) 184 IR 1 Lawrenson Diecasting Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority (NSW) (1999) 90 IR 464 Maddaford v CSR Limited and Mulgoa Quarries Pty Ltd [2004] NSWIRComm 337 Manpac Industries Pty Ltd (formerly t/as Pacific Concrete & Quarries Pty Ltd) v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Glass) [2001] NSWIRComm 190; (2001) 106 IR 435 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357; (2005) 79 ALJR 1048; (2005) 215 ALR 213 Morrison v Powercoal Pty Ltd & Anor. (No. 3) [2005] NSWIRComm 61; (2005) 147 IR 117 Page v Walco Hoist Rentals Pty Ltd (No 2) [2000] NSWIRComm 39; (2000) 99 IR 163 R v Dib [2003] NSWCCA 117 R v Reader (Brian Henry) (1988) 10 Cr App R(S) 210 R v Rushby (1997) 1 NSWLR 594 R v Thomson; R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309; (2000) 49 NSWLR 383. Rahme v R (1989) 43 A Crim R 81 Regina v Stambolis [2006] NSWCCA 56; (2006) 160 A Crim R 510 Retsos v Regina [2006] NSWCCA 85 Rodney Morrison v Powercoal Pty Ltd [2003] NSWIRComm 416; (2003) 130 IR 364 Workcover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ankucic) v Crown in the Right of the State of New South Wales (Department of Education and Training) [2001] NSWIRComm 313 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Belley) v Hughston & Sons Pty Limited [2002] NSWIRComm 340 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Farrell) v Schrader [2002] NSWIRComm 25; (2002) 112 IR 284 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Petar Ankucic) v McDonald's Australia Limited and Another [2000] NSWIRComm 277; (2000) 95 IR 383 WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Kelsey) v University of Sydney (unreported, Industrial Relations Commission, NSW, Matter No. CT 1280 of 1995, Hill J, 2 April 1997) at 21 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Robert Mayell) v D J Gleeson Pty Ltd [2006] NSWIRComm 363 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Inspector Sarah Nicholson (Prosecutor) Danial Gallagher (Defendant) Representation: Ms S Gul of counsel (Prosecutor) Ms B Obradovic of counsel (Defendant) WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Prosecutor) Pagano Burlovich Lawyers (Defendant) File Number(s): IRC 713 of 2011