Patrick Stevedores Operations (No 2) Pty Ltd v Hennessy; FBIS International Protective Services (Aust) Pty Ltd v Hennessy [2015] NSWCA 253

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Patrick Stevedores Operations (No 2) Pty Ltd v Hennessy; FBIS International Protective Services (Aust) Pty Ltd v Hennessy [2015] NSWCA 253 Hearing dates: 30 July 2015 Decision date: 27 August 2015 Before: McColl JA at [1]; Basten JA at [2]; Leeming JA at [17] Decision: In each appeal (2015/17304 and 2015/15036):

1. Appeal allowed.

2. Set aside the judgments and orders made on 2 and 19 December 2014 save for order 7 (which was that the defendants bear their own costs of the cross-claims), and in lieu thereof, dismiss the proceedings.

3. Order that Mr Hennessy pay the appellant's costs of the appeal, and the appellant's costs of the proceedings at first instance, save for the costs of its cross-claim.

4. Grant Mr Hennessy a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW). Catchwords: TORTS – negligence – slip and fall by employee while stepping up into gatehouse at work – claims against employer and occupier – primary judge found step up into gatehouse to be "higher than normal" – occupier subsequently installed intermediate step – employee's evidence regarded by primary judge as unreliable – no precise findings as to height of step up into gatehouse – no precise findings as to mechanism of accident – whether proper basis for findings of breach of duty and causation – findings of breach set aside – appeals by employer and occupier allowed Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5B, 5C, 5D Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 51.53 Workers Compensation Act 1987 (NSW), s 151Z Cases Cited: Adeels Palace Pty Ltd v Moubarak [2009] HCA 48; 239 CLR 420 Australian Safeway Stores Pty Ltd v Zaluzna (1987) 162 CLR 479 Cherry v Jaymardo Pty Ltd [1998] NSWCA 57 Czatyrko v Edith Cowan University [2005] HCA 14; 79 ALJR 839 Elphick v Westfield Shopping Centre Management Company Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 356 Hackshaw v Shaw (1984) 155 CLR 614 Hennessy v Patrick Stevedores Operations [2014] NSWSC 1716 Jackson v McDonald's Australia Ltd [2014] NSWCA 162 Kuru v State of New South Wales [2008] HCA 26; 236 CLR 1 March v E & MH Stramare Pty Ltd (1991) 171 CLR 506 Reid v Commercial Club (Albury) Ltd [2014] NSWCA 98 Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales v Dederer [2007] HCA 42; 234 CLR 330 Stannus v Graham (1994) Aust Torts Rep 81-293 Strong v Woolworths Ltd [2012] HCA 5; 246 CLR 182 Thornton v Sweeney [2011] NSWCA 244; 59 MVR 155 Vairy v Wyong Shire Council [2005] HCA 62; 223 CLR 422 Wallace v Kam [2013] HCA 19; 250 CLR 375 Warth v Lafsky [2014] NSWCA 94; Aust Torts Rep 82-166 Wilkinson v Law Courts Ltd [2001] NSWCA 196 Xu v Jinhong Design & Constructions Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 277 Category: Principal judgment Parties: 2015/17304: Patrick Stevedores Operations (No 2) Pty Ltd (Appellant) Shane William Hennessy (First Respondent) FBIS International Protective Services (Aust) Pty Ltd (Second Respondent)