Inspector Cooper v Schwarz (No 2) [2013] NSWIRComm 112

Industrial Relations Commission New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Inspector Cooper v Schwarz (No 2) [2013] NSWIRComm 112 Hearing dates: 17 September 2012, 12 December 2013 Decision date: 20 December 2013 Jurisdiction: Industrial Court of NSW Before: Staff J Decision: Matter No IRC 1621 of 2011 1. The offence is proven and a verdict of guilty is entered. 2. The personal defendant is convicted of the offence, as charged. 3. The personal defendant is fined an amount of $4000 with a moiety thereof to the prosecutor. 4. The personal defendant shall pay the prosecutor's costs of the proceedings as agreed, or if agreement cannot be reached, as assessed. Matter No IRC 1623 of 2011 1. The offence is proven and a verdict of guilty is entered. 2. The corporate defendant is convicted of the offence, as charged. 3. The corporate defendant is fined an amount of $70,000 with a moiety thereof to the prosecutor. 4. The corporate defendant shall pay the prosecutor's costs of the proceedings as agreed, or if agreement cannot be reached, as assessed. Catchwords: OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY - s 8(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 - labour hire - printing industry - employee injured when hand caught in printing press- objective seriousness - general and specific deterrence - subjective factors - financial position of defendants - Fines Act 1996 - principles - comparison of sentences - principles - plea of guilty - s 10 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure ) Act 1999 - penalties imposed - costs Legislation Cited: Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 Cases Cited: Capral Aluminium Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales [2000] NSWIRComm 71; 49 NSWLR 610; (2000) 99 IR 29 Drake Personnel Drake Personnel t/as Drake Industrial v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 432 Corinthian Industries (Sydney) Pty Ltd 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 and Coke Pty Ltd (1999) 92 IR 8 Ferguson v Nelmac Pty Limited (1999) 92 IR 188 at 209 GEO Group Australia Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Hannah) (No 3) [2012] NSWIRComm 34 Inspector Ankucic v Chalhoub [2013] NSWIRComm 93 Haynes v C I & D Manufacturing Pty Ltd (No 2) (1995) 60 IR 455 at 457 Manpac Industries Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (2001) 106 IR 435 Inspector Beacham v J & L Marble Pty Ltd [2009] NSWIRComm 100 Inspector Cooper v J I T Offset Pty Ltd [2013] NSWIRComm 90 Inspector Cooper v Schwarz [2012] NSWIRComm 107 Inspector Fraser v Karabelas (No 2) [2011] NSWIRComm 153 Inspector Jelley v Albright & Wilson (Australia) Limited [2007] NSWIRComm 148; (2007) 164 IR 456 Inspector Gregory Maddaford v Graham Gerard Coleman [2004] NSWIRComm 317 Lowe v The Queen (1984) 154 CLR 606 Maddaford v CSR Limited and Mulgoa Quarries Pty Ltd [2004] NSWIRComm 337 Morrison v Power Coal Pty Limited (No 3) [2005] NSWIRComm 61; (2005) 147 IR 117 Morrison v Powercoal Pty Ltd (2003) 130 IR 364 Morrison v Coal Operations Australia Ltd (No 2) [2005] NSWIRComm 96; (2005) 141 IR 465 Nelmac Pty Ltd v Franke (Inspector) [2006] NSWIRComm 100; (2006) 151 IR 63 Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority (NSW) (Inspector McMartin) [2006] NSWIRComm 339; (2006) 159 IR 121 Riley v Australian Grader Hire Pty Ltd WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Farrell) v Schrader (2002) 112 IR 284 R v Thomson; R v Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 T and M Industries (Aust) Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority (NSW) (Inspector Sequeira) (2006) 151 IR 130 Warman International Limited v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (1998) 80 IR 326 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Barber) v Gundagai Shire Council [2002] NSWIRComm 243; (2002) 118 IR 193 WorkCover Authority (NSW) (Inspector Batty) v Graincorp Operations Ltd [2002] NSWIRComm 49 and WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Barber) v Gundagai Shire Council [2002] NSWIRComm 243; (2002) 118 IR 193 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Downie) v Menzies Property Services Pty Limited (2004) 136 IR 449 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Hopkins) v Profab Industries Pty Ltd (2000) 100 IR 64; (2000) 49 NSWLR 700 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Lancaster) v Burnshaw Constructions Pty Ltd (2002) 121 IR 119 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Mansell) v Jian Chen and Obing Pty Ltd trading as Old But New [2004] NSWIRComm 247 WorkCover Authority (NSW) (Inspector Mason) v Wild Geese Building and Maintenance Group Pty Ltd [2006] NSWIRComm 350; (2006) 157 IR 313 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Insector Petar Ankucic) v McDonald's Australia Limited [2000] NSWIRComm 277; (2000) 95 IR 383 WorkCover Authority (NSW) (Inspector Shaw) v Du Pont (Australia) Pty Ltd (2006) 152 IR 68 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Inspector Stephen Cooper (Prosecutor) Harold Ernest Schwarz (First Defendant) Harry Schwarz Consulting Pty Ltd (Second Defendant) Representation: Mr A Casselden (Prosecutor) Mr I Latham (Defendants) Solicitors: WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Prosecutor) Gillis Delaney Lawyers (Defendants) File Number(s): IRC 1621 and 1623 of 2011