Allsoulsst.Gabriel'sschoolinc.Andleonthomas(C/2006/47)

1

[ExtractfromQueenslandGovernmentIndustrialGazette,

dated13October,2006,Vol.183,No.11,pages765-768]

INDUSTRIALCOURTOFQUEENSLAND

WorkplaceHealthandSafetyAct1995-s.166(3)-appealagainstdecisionofindustrialmagistrate

AllSoulsSt.Gabriel'sSchoolInc.ANDLeonThomas(C/2006/47)

DECISION

TheappellantconductsasecondaryschoolatChartersTowerswhichprovideseducationinbothacademicandvocationalsubjects. Thelatterincludeagricultureandengineeringsubjects. On6May2005therespondent,apublicofficerwithinthemeaningofs.142AoftheJusticesAct1886andaninspectordulyappointedundertheprovisionsoftheWorkplaceHealthandSafetyAct1995(theAct)madeacomplaintthatcontrarytos.24(I)oftheAct,theappellanthadfailedtodischargetheworkplacehealthandsafetyobligationimposeduponitbys.28(3)oftheAct. Section28(3),atalltimesmaterialtothecomplaint,provided:

"Anemployerhasanobligationtoensureotherpersonsarenotexposedtoriskstotheirhealthandsafetyarisingoutoftheconductoftheemployer'sbusinessorundertaking.".

Theriskwasparticularisedastheriskofdeathorinjury(includingdeathorinjurytoScottAllenBurgess). Thesourceoftheriskwasidentifiedasthe "useofaplasmaarccuttingtorchinthecuttingofmetaldrums". Acircumstanceofaggravationwasalleged,viz.thedeathofScottAllenBurgess.

Theappellantpleadedguilty. Therespondentdidnotseektherecordingofaconvictionandnoconvictionwasrecorded. Afineinthesumof$80,000wasimposed. ThemaximumpenaltywhichtheActingIndustrialMagistratemighthaveimposedwas$375,000. ThisisanappealagainstthequantumofthefineimposedbytheActingIndustrialMagistrate. ItwascommongroundbywayofmitigationbeforetheActingIndustrialMagistrateandontheappealtothisCourtthattherewas: (a)apromptpleaofguilty;(b)remorse;and(c)theabsenceofpriorconviction. Insummaryform,thesubstantialcasedevelopedbytheappellantisthat: (a)theActingIndustrialMagistratewasunderamisapprehensionastothefacts; (b)theActingIndustrialMagistratewronglyappliedthedecisionofthisCourtinNeilandsvDarrylO'Neil(2001)168QGIG134: and(c)thefinewasmanifestlyexcessive.

Itisusefultosaysomethingoftheplasmaarccuttingtorch. TheitemofplantreferredtowasaUNIplas401plasmaarccuttingtorch. Plasmaisagaswhichhasbeenheatedtoanextremehightemperatureandionisedsothatitbecomeselectricallyconducted. Whenthegasorgasmixturereachesthishightemperature,itisacceleratedwithhighspeedthroughacuttingnozzle. Theprocessusestheplasmatotransferanelectricarctotheworkpiece. Themetaltobecutismeltedbytheheatofthearcandthenblownawaytoproduceanaccurate,cleancut. Theplantoperatesasveryhightemperaturesandisspecificallydesignedforcuttingthinmetals.

ItisalsousefultosaysomethingofthemetaldrumwhichwasbeingcutbyMrBurgessatthetimeoftheexplosionwhichcausedhisdeath. Thedrums,whichhadbeenprocuredbyateachernamedMrBenekefromanacquaintanceandoutsidetheschool'snormalprocurementarrangements,borealabelidentifyingthatthedrumhadpreviouslycontained "highqualitymonogradedieselengineoil". Thelabelalsocautionedthatthedrumsshouldnotbethesubjectofwelding,cuttingordrilling,norshouldtheybeexposedtoheat,flame,sparkorstaticelectricitybecausetheresidueorvapourmayigniteorexplodecausinginjuryordeath. ItshouldbenotedalsothatearlieronthedayoftheincidentandunderthedirectsupervisionofMrBeneke,MrBurgesshadsuccessfullycutasimilardrumwithoutmishapandthat,oncompletionofthetask,residuewithinthedrumhadbeenidentified.

Iacceptthattheplasmacutterhadbeenpurchasedforuseintheengineeringcourseandnotforuseintheagriculturalcourse;thatMrBeneketaughttheagriculturalcoursenottheengineeringcourse;thatMrBenekehadbeenabletoremovetheplasmacutterfromareceptaclewhichshouldhavebeenlocked,becausethegentlemaninchargeoftheengineeringcourse(MrToohey)hadleftthereceptacleunlockedbecauseheunderstoodMrBenekewastoremovethecuttertouseforhisownpurposes;thatwhenusedintheengineeringcoursetheplasmacutterwasusedinawaywhichconformedtotheappellant'sobligationsundertheAct,andinconformitywitheachoftheRiskManagementAdvisoryStandardandthePlantAdvisoryStandardintheformwhichtheytookatallmaterialtimes;thattheprogramfortheagriculturalcourse,thejobdescriptionforthevacancyfilledbyMrBenekeandMrBeneke'scurriculumvitaegavenoindicationthatinstructionintheuseofaplasmacutterwastobepartoftheagriculturecourse;andthatneitherMrTooheynoranyotheremployeeoragentoftheappellanthadanyactualknowledgethatMrBenekehadresolvedtoinstructstudentsintheuseoftheplasmacuttertocutdrumstoprovidecontainersforfodder,andoftheactivitiesuponwhichMrBenekeventuredinimplementingthatdecision.

IturnthentothemisunderstandingsattributedtotheActingIndustrialMagistrate.

Atpara5oftheActingIndustrialMagistrate'sreasons,HisHonoursaid:

"Asapartoftheagriculturalskillsubjectstudentsweretomanufactureanumberoffeedbinsbycutting20litreand205litredrumsinhalflengthwise.".

Thecriticismisthat(asindicatedabove)theactivityuponwhichMrBenekehadembarkedwasnotanexplicitpartofthecourseofhispositiondescriptionorofhiscurriculumvitae. ButitseemstolerablyclearthattheActingIndustrialMagistratewasawareofthat. Para16ofHisHonour'sreasonsisinthefollowingterms:

"ThedefendantsaysthattheuseoftheplasmaarccuttingtorchwasnotpartofBeneke'spositiondescription,thathewasnotemployedtoorencouragednorwashegivenpermissiontoteachstudentshowtousetheplasmaarccuttingtorch.".

Itseemstomethatpara5wasnomorethanan(entirelyaccurate)descriptionbytheActingIndustrialMagistrateofwhatinfacthappened. ItistobenotedthatextractsfromtherecordedinterviewwiththeschoolPrincipalcontainedinthe "AgreedStatementsofFacts" handedtotheActingIndustrialMagistrateindicateanacceptancethatifMrBenekeactedtomakethecuttingofdrumspartofthecourse,thecuttingofdrumsbecamepartofthecourse. Forfullness,oneshouldadd,traininginthepreparationanduseoffodderbinsisanentirelyunexceptionalmoduleforanagriculturalcourse.

Itisthencontendedthatatpara8,theActingIndustrialMagistratesaid:

"Notwithstandingthiswarningthedefendant,throughtheactivityofMrBeneke,allowedScottBurgesstousetheplasmaarccuttingtorchona205litredrum.".

Emphasisingtheverb "allowed" itiscontendedthattheActingIndustrialMagistratefailedtoappreciatethattheappellanthadnoknowledgeofwhatMrBenekewasdoing. Onthecontrary,itseemstometobeabundantlyclearfromparagraphs15,17and18,thattheActingIndustrialMagistratewasfullyawarethattheappellantdidnotknowhowitwasthatMrBenekewasconductinghiscourse. Indeed,itistolerablyplainfromthoseparagraphsthatthefaultand/orblameworthinesswithwhichtheActingIndustrialMagistrateburdenedtheappellantwassourcedinitslackofvigilancetoensurethatitwasinformedaboutthecontentandconductofcoursesconductedunderitsauspices. In myviewtheemphasisatparagraph8shouldnotbeplacedupontheverb "allowed",butuponthephrase "throughtheactivityofMrBeneke". Thecriticismisthatincircumstancesinwhichitwastheappellantwhoboretheabsoluteobligationats.28(3),MrBenekewhowassubjecttotheappellant'sauthority,hadbeenpermittedtodevelopamodulewithinhiscoursewithoutscrutinyoroversightandhadchosentoembraceanactivitywhich,onthebasisofthewarninglabelsonthedrumsinvolvedfoolhardyexposuretoextremedangerandledtoafatalityinfrightfulcircumstances.

ItisthencontendedthatActingIndustrialMagistrate'scriticismofthefailuretoobservethetwoadvisorystandardsinrelationtotheplasmaarccuttingtorchintheagriculturalcourse. Itisarguedthattherealpointwasthatinthecaseoftheengineeringcourseinwhichtheplasmaarccuttingtorchwasintendedtobeused,therehadbeenrigorousobservanceoftheriskmanagementadvisorystandardandtheplantadvisorystandard. Thesubmissionisthatwhereobligationshadbeenrecognisedtheyhadbeenobserved,andthatundueblameshouldnotbeattachedtoomissionsarisingoutofignorance. InmyviewtheActingIndustrialMagistrate'sobservationsabouttheadvisorystandardswerelimitedtotheagriculturalcourse. ThereisnothingtosuggestthatHisHonourwasunderanymisapprehensionaboutthehighstandardspursuedinthecaseoftheengineeringcourse. Asemphasisedabove,therecanbenosuggestionthattheActingIndustrialMagistratewasunawarethattheappellant'sproblemsaroseoutofignorance. Itwasintheinactionoftheappellant,aschool,indriftingoninignoranceoftheriskstowhichitsstudentswerebeingexposed,whichlargelycausedtheActingIndustrialMagistratetoarbitrateblameworthinessand/orfault.

IacceptthattheActingIndustrialMagistratewasinerrorindescribingMrTooheyasMrBeneke'ssupervisor. HewasnotMrBeneke'ssupervisor. MrBenekedidnothaveasupervisorotherthanthePrincipalhimself. Thatwaspartoftheproblem. ThereisnothinginthereasoningoftheActingIndustrialMagistratetosuggestthattheerrorabouttherelationshipbetweenMessrsBenekeandTooheyledtoanyinflationofthequantumofthefine.

Inmyview,theActingIndustrialMagistratewasnotlabouringunderanymisapprehensionastothefacts.

ThereisnosubstanceinthesubmissionthattheActingIndustrialMagistratemisappliedthedecisioninNeilandsvDarrylO'Neil(2001)168QGIG134. AsemphasisedinOttovBosgrovePastoralCoPtyLtd(2002)170QGIG143,andMarfleetandLindsayMyersPtyLtd(2006)183QGIG240,blameworthinessisarelevantfactoronsentence,compares.9(2)(b)ofthePenaltiesandSentencesAct1992. Butforeseeabilityisnotthesolemeasureofblameworthiness. GrantedthatasinNeilandsvDarrylO'Neil,op.cit.,MrBeneke'sactivitieswereentirelyunexpected,theadditionalfactoristhattheappellantasaschoolhadaresponsibilityforthepupilswithinitscare. Thefailuretorecogniseanddischargethatobligationattractsconsiderationofdeterrence,compares.9(1)(c)anddenunciation,compares.9(1)(d). AndthepenaltiesimposedundertheWorkplaceHealthandSafetyAct1995mustunderpinasystemofabsoluteobligationestablishedbythatAct,notasystemoffault-basedliability. InmyviewtheanalogouscasetoNeilandsvDarrylO'Neil,op.cit.,wouldbethecaseinwhichMrBeneke,workinguponadrumwithaplasmaarccutterotherwisethatinthepresenceofstudents,injuredhimself.

Inallthecircumstances,Ifindthat$80,000isnotmanifestlyexcessive. Itislessthanaquarterofthemaximumpenaltyavailable. ItistruethatinLutheranChurchofAustralia-QueenslandDistrictvNewman(2002)170QGIG247,achallengetoafineof$80,000inacaseinwhichtherehadnotbeenatimelypleaofguilty,wasunsuccessful. Butthechallengewasmountedbythedefendantatfirstinstancewithaviewtoreducingthefine. Thecomplainantatfirstinstancedidnotseektoattackthefineasinadequate. AndatthetimethemaximumpenaltyavailabletoanIndustrialMagistratewas$300,000. ThediscretionaboutpenaltiesvestedintheIndustrialMagistratesCourt,nottheIndustrialCourt. Inmyviewthereisnothingtosuggestthatthediscretionmiscarried.

Idismisstheappeal. Ireservetheallquestionsastocosts.

Dated5October2006.

GovernmentPrinter,Queensland

TheStateofQueensland2006.