Day 086 - 09 Feb 95 - Page 19


     
     1        A.  OK.
     2
     3   MR. MORRIS:  You issue lots of memos, yes, about electrical
     4        safety at McDonald's?
     5        A.  At McDonald's, no, not a lot.
     6
     7   Q.   Not a lot; from time to time?
     8        A.  From time to time, on health and safety matters would
     9        discover something new, another way of addressing the
    10        matter, an improved way of doing it or something may come
    11        to our attention, a recommendation from a health and safety
    12        person, an Environmental Health Officer would cause us to
    13        send a memo out.
    14
    15   Q.   Like, for example, not changing light bulbs -- a memo, you
    16        remember?
    17        A.  I am not sure I could dig that memo out.  I do not
    18        think it was a dictate that came down.
    19
    20   Q.   Let us look at this memo you had open before in front of
    21        you?
    22        A.  This is page 773?
    23
    24   Q.   That is the one:  "Important:  There have been several
    25        recent instances in our restaurants where members of staff
    26        have received severe shocks from faulty items if electrical
    27        equipment.  Unfortunately, I have not been notified of
    28        these accidents at the time they occurred".  It says:  "It
    29        is imperative I am informed so I can speedily investigate
    30        the circumstances".  You said before that management have
    31        to notify higher levels if it is an accident that should be
    32        investigated; is that correct?
    33        A.  If there is a notifiable accident they fill in an
    34        Incident Report Form, and the current procedure is that
    35        they would inform their regional health and safety adviser.
    36
    37   Q.   But if it is a severe shock from electrical equipment, then
    38        that is something which should be, whether it is a RIDDOR
    39        accident or not, presumably, that is something that would
    40        have to be, as it says here, speedily investigated; is that
    41        correct?
    42        A.  Yes, it would go to the regional health and safety
    43        officer.
    44
    45   Q.   Has that always been the position or only recently?
    46        A.  Since the position of regional health and safety
    47        officer was in position (which I do not know when that was,
    48        probably two to three years ago, possibly longer) there
    49        would have been another system before then.
    50 
    51   Q.   So are you saying that when this memo was read, previous to 
    52        that there was no system for investigation of significant 
    53        safety accidents?
    54        A.  No, I am not saying that.  There was a different
    55        system, a different person in position.
    56
    57   Q.   Just tell me what the system was?
    58        A.  To my recollection, I believe it would have been Jill
    59        Barnes at that time.
    60

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