Day 130 - 26 May 95 - Page 60
1 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I must say I did, Mr. Rampton. It may
2 Mrs. Barnes was going on, but I thought you were asking if
3 there was a particular example Mr. Morris could give so
4 that you could find the question easier to answer?
5 A. I was actually, yes.
6
7 MR. RAMPTON: I apologise for that interruptation.
8
9 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Leave it there.
10
11 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Can you give an example to help on the way?
12
13 MR. MORRIS: Well, if a store is under-staffed people may cut
14 corners, not do jobs, not notice things that are not
15 working properly, etc., etc., so that would be one of your
16 concerns, would it, not to ensure -----
17
18 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Under-staffing obviously may carry safety
19 risks, in that people are working under pressure -- well,
20 it is obvious, is it not?
21 A. If there were under-staffing I am sure you would be
22 correct.
23
24 Q. If six were having to scurry around doing the job of 10
25 there would be a risk element involved?
26 A. I am sure it would increase, but what also happens in
27 practice is that you just does not serve as many customers
28 if you have not got the employees there. So it is not as
29 if you have got six people trying to do 10 people's jobs.
30 The 10 people's jobs do not happen because the customers
31 end up waiting a lot longer. Also that is why we have a
32 specific system, a specific way of managers working out how
33 many employees they need at any particular time of the day.
34
35 MR. MORRIS: Yes, but you would accept as somebody who is
36 responsible for risk management identifying potential
37 problems, fundamental problems, not just reacting to a
38 particular accident because that particular plug was
39 broken, but in terms of risk management you would accept,
40 would you not, that under-staffing is something that should
41 not happen?
42 A. Well -----
43
44 Q. In terms of safety risk?
45 A. I am sure if you have 10 people scheduled and only nine
46 turn up because one is ill, then the other nine do feel
47 under extra stress for the rest of that day. Yes, it could
48 contribute to their working differently and, maybe,
49 accidents happen. It happens to me some days at work.
50
51 Q. Have you issued any memos from your department showing
52 concern or educating store managers or anybody in the
53 company about the dangers of under-staffing in relation to
54 safety matters?
55 A. Well, one I cannot think of any examples of any
56 accidents we feel have happened because of under-staffing,
57 and two, as I said, there is a very careful system for
58 managers to use to ensure they have the right number of
59 people on shift at any time of day. It really is another
60 area where Operations Management are specifically involved
