Nash v Austerberry Directional Drilling Services Pty Ltd [2013] NSWIRComm 37

Industrial Relations Commission New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Nash v Austerberry Directional Drilling Services Pty Ltd [2013] NSWIRComm 37 Hearing dates: 29 April 2013 Decision date: 22 May 2013 Jurisdiction: Industrial Court of NSW Before: Staff J Decision: 1. The offence is proven and a verdict of guilty is entered. 2. The defendant is convicted of the offence, as charged. 3. The defendant is fined an amount of $170,000 with a moiety thereof to the prosecutor. 4. The defendant shall pay the prosecutor's costs of the proceedings in an amount as agreed or, if agreement cannot be reached, as assessed. Catchwords: OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY - prosecution under s 8(2) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 - petroleum and coal seam gas industries - laying underground pipeline - extraction of pipe - recoil - fatality - objective seriousness - absence of risk assessment - reasonably foreseeable risk to safety - existence of simple and straightforward remedial steps - general deterrence - specific deterrence - measures introduced to minimise and eliminate risks - subjective factors - good corporate citizenship - victim impact statement - no prior conviction - plea of guilty - penalty - costs Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 Cases Cited: Capral Aluminium Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (2000) 49 NSWLR 610 Department of Mineral Resources of NSW (McKensey) v Kembla Coal and Coke Pty Ltd (1999) 92 IR 8 Dunlop Rubber Australia Ltd v Buckley (1952) 87 CLR 313 Fletcher Construction Australia Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Fisher) (1999) 91 IR 66 Inspector Beacham v Delta Shelving Systems Pty Ltd [2012] NSWIRComm 103 Inspector McGrath v Cooper [2013] NSWIRComm 14 Inspector Simpson v Tomago Aluminium [2005] NSWIRComm 117 McLean v Tedman (1984) 155 CLR 306 Nesmat Pty Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (1998) 87 IR 312 Wong v Melinda Group Pty Ltd (1998) 82 IR 118 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mulder) v Arbor Products International (Australia) Pty Ltd [2001] NSWIRComm 50; (2001) 105 IR 81 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Page) v Walco Hoist Rentals Pty Ltd (No 2) (2000) 99 IR 163 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Jennifer Anne Nash (Prosecutor) Austerberry Directional Drilling Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Mr I Taylor SC with Ms J McDonald (Prosecutor) Ms K Nomchong SC (Defendant) Crown Solicitor's Office (Prosecutor) Ebsworth & Ebsworth (Defendant) File Number(s): IRC 1292 of 2011