Keeys v State of Queensland

The case of Keeys v State of Queensland was brought before the court to address a dispute regarding an employer's duty to warn an employee of potential threats to their safety. The respondent, a police officer, developed post-traumatic stress disorder after being subjected to threats, and alleged that the appellant, as the employer, failed in their duty to warn the officer of these threats. The court was tasked with determining whether the appellant's failure to warn the respondent constituted a breach of their duty as an employer.

The central legal issue was whether the appellant had a duty to warn the respondent of the threat they were facing, and if so, whether the failure to do so amounted to a breach of that duty. The court examined the concept of employer liability in negligence, considering whether the employer had a responsibility to protect their employee from known risks. The court also considered whether the employer's actions, or lack thereof, were reasonable under the circumstances.

The court concluded that the employer did have a duty to warn the employee of known threats to their safety, and that this duty extended to taking reasonable steps to protect the employee from such threats. The court found that the employer's failure to warn the respondent of the threats they were facing was a breach of this duty, and that this breach was a contributing factor in the respondent's development of post-traumatic stress disorder. The court ultimately dismissed the appeal, upholding the original decision that the employer was liable for the respondent's injuries.