Day 127 - 23 May 95 - Page 61


     
     1
     2   Q.   If it was something serious, then the other procedures
     3        would in any case fall into place?
     4        A.  That is right, because they are telling the manager
     5        anyway.
     6
     7   Q.   I think one final document for the moment on this topic.
     8
     9   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I notice, as a matter of interest, that one
    10        of her accidents was an electrical shock from a filtering
    11        machine.
    12        A.  Yes.
    13
    14   MR. RAMPTON:  Can you turn, please, Mrs. Barnes, back towards
    15        the end of the file 57R dated 24th February 1992,
    16        remembering that Mark Hopkins' was on 12th October 1992?
    17        It apparently comes from you.  Do you recognise the font?
    18        A.  Yes, again it is typed upon my own PC.
    19
    20   Q.   Its subject is: "Investigation on Accidents".  It is
    21        addressed to all store managers and whole lot of other
    22        people, including licensees and field consultants.  Do you
    23        see that?
    24        A.  Yes.
    25
    26   Q.   Why would it go to Sid Nicholson and Valerie Leigh?
    27        A.  Valerie Leigh is our Insurance Manager and one of the
    28        main reasons why we are asked for information on accidents
    29        is if they should go to insurance claims.
    30
    31   Q.   What about Sid Nicholson?
    32        A.  Sid, at this time anyway, used to get involved in any
    33        legal cases.  Again, if there were civil or criminal
    34        proceedings we would be asked to provide information from
    35        the accident.
    36
    37   Q.   I suppose it may be obvious, Mrs. Barnes, but when these
    38        investigation reports are done if there is anything that
    39        might result in either a prosecution or a suit for damages
    40        under the civil law, the investigation would help to put
    41        the lawyers in the picture?
    42        A.  That is correct, yes.
    43
    44   Q.   You have written in the main part of the text: "It is now
    45        Company policy to formally investigate all accidents which
    46        by law we have to report to EHOs." Those are RIDDORS?
    47        A.  Yes, that is right.
    48
    49   Q.   Why do you use the word "now"?  Had it not been the
    50        practice before this date? 
    51        A.  Before this date we did not investigate all of them. 
    52        They were certainly investigated by the security department 
    53        on a reasonably regular basis, but I felt we got to the
    54        stage where we would learn a lot from investigating them
    55        all and that the operations people, because they have
    56        specific responsibility for their own restaurants, should
    57        be the ones that do the investigation.
    58
    59   Q.   So is this, as it were, putting a formality assisted on
    60        what to some extent had been happening already?

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