Day 085 - 08 Feb 95 - Page 22


     
     1        far as I can remember, as far as back in my Operations
     2        experience as I can remember, but certainly within the
     3        company we had a raising of awareness that we should not be
     4        running, moving quickly, on the front counter.  We should,
     5        you know, enforce that.  So at one moment in time we had
     6        this "let us understand correctly what we mean by this".
     7
     8   MR. MORRIS:  So there were concerns that the speed and
     9        efficiency aspects were overriding the safety aspects in
    10        some places?
    11        A.  Yes, I think that in looking at health and safety in
    12        the restaurants we identified that may be the movement on
    13        the front counter could contribute to more accidents, so we
    14        just highlighted that as an area to emphasise.
    15
    16   Q.   If we go to 871, Recommendation 22, do you want to have a
    17        quick read of that?
    18        A.  I have read that through.
    19
    20   Q.   The preventing risks as the ultimate aim and looking at
    21        non-injury incidents, identifying basic causes, what do you
    22        feel are the basic risks that give you most cause for
    23        concern as a person responsible for health and safety at
    24        McDonald's in store?  What are the weak areas that you feel
    25        "this is something we have really got to work on"?
    26        A.  I think, as I explained yesterday, we take our view on
    27        risk with the risk assessment on the restaurants but,
    28        really, on those statistics the accidents that are most
    29        serious we take as the areas that we should concentrate on.
    30
    31   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  No, I think you are being asked a broader
    32        question than that.  Perhaps it would have been better to
    33        ask you, first of all, whether there are health and safety
    34        areas in the restaurants which do cause you concern.
    35        A.  OK.  Well, there are certain areas that, tasks, you
    36        know, could result in injury so, you know, operating a
    37        grill could result in a burn; whereas operating a till is
    38        less risky.  Operating a compactor machine could result in
    39        an accident.  So, that is obviously a priority, so that is
    40        a risk area that we identify, and lift safety as well.  So,
    41        there are a number of potentially hazardous tasks that have
    42        to be performed within the store and that is where the
    43        training is concentrated upon.
    44
    45   MR. MORRIS:  But, apart from training, what about in design of
    46        the restaurant?  Is that something which ---
    47        A.  Yes.
    48
    49   Q.   -- you feel there is concern about certain aspects of the
    50        present or the design problems that you have had over the 
    51        last 10 years, or something like that? 
    52        A.  Not sure about the design problems that we have had, 
    53        but health and safety considerations are taken into account
    54        within the design of our restaurant.  Health and safety
    55        input is put into any refinement in the designs that we
    56        have or any changes in the operations.
    57
    58   Q.   So, you do reports for board meetings, is that correct, on
    59        health and safety, amongst other things?
    60        A.  In my current position, I have been in the position for

Prev Next Index