Day 121 - 04 May 95 - Page 35
1 know where it was coming from.
2
3 Q. Forgot Southend completely, but if sewage -----
4 A. They knew it was sewage -- close the restaurant, get
5 rid of it. No question.
6
7 MS. STEEL: If pipes burst above the kitchen area of the store
8 and there was about quarter of an inch of water all over
9 the floor of the kitchen area, what would you expect to
10 happen in those circumstances?
11 A. It would depend upon what the cause was.
12
13 Q. Would you expect the store to be closed immediately?
14 A. No, not necessarily; it depends upon whether there is
15 any danger.
16
17 Q. Do you think it is safe for staff to work with a quarter of
18 an inch of water on the floor in the kitchen area?
19 A. I would find it highly undesirable, but I have never
20 known it happen ---
21
22 Q. Do you think it is safe?
23 A. -- Apart from that one thing.
24
25 Q. Do you think it is safe?
26 A. I do not know. It depends upon the circumstances.
27
28 Q. So you think sometimes it could be safe to work -----
29 A. No, I cannot answer that question.
30
31 Q. Do you think it could sometimes be safe to work in a
32 kitchen area with hot fat, hot vats and electrical
33 equipment when you have a quarter of an inch of water on
34 the floor?
35 A. It depends upon where the water comes from, where it
36 is, what it is. I cannot answer that question. It has
37 never happened, to my knowledge, apart from that one
38 occasion.
39
40 Q. So it would not concern you then -- sorry.
41
42 MR. JUSTICE BELL: You say "so" at the beginning as if it
43 follows on from his previous answer that it would not
44 concern him which it does not. By all means, ask would it
45 concern him. He says he just cannot say whether it would
46 be safe on the information you have given him.
47
48 MS. STEEL: So it would not automatically concern you then if
49 you walked in and found a quarter of an inch of water all
50 over the floor?
51 A. Of course it would concern me. I would want to know
52 where it came from.
53
54 Q. Right, but it would not concern you to the point where you
55 would say: "Stop right now. Stop working right now"?
56 A. I cannot imagine -- I cannot answer that question. It
57 has never happened. It has never occurred. If I walked
58 into a restaurant and there was a quarter of an inch of
59 water on the floor, I would say: "Where is this from?" and
60 I would expect an answer.
