Day 105 - 16 Mar 95 - Page 26


     
     1   Q.   Then there are two cutting blocks in the boning hall that
     2        are also grade E on both of those dates?
     3        A.  Yes.
     4
     5   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  It probably does not matter, but the
     6        trimtable gets up to C in April and then the trimtable in
     7        the boning hall seems to be particularly recalcitrant
     8        because it never does leave E until June 1994.
     9
    10   MR. MORRIS:  So the whole purpose, though, of an E grade, which
    11        is the lowest grade, presumably, is that action should be
    12        taken, otherwise what is the purpose of doing the swabs?
    13        A.  Yes, but these are all within acceptable limits of the
    14        performance in terms of health controls.  The grade of E,
    15        as you have said, is something which would draw attention
    16        to itself and which the managers would attend to by
    17        measures taken with the cleaning staff.
    18
    19   Q.   The obvious scientific conclusion is that if Bristol Food
    20        Laboratories are doing this, and this is their grading
    21        system, that the lowest grade must require action otherwise
    22        they would have another grade even lower that would require
    23        action?
    24        A.  No.
    25
    26   Q.   Would they not, otherwise they would not be doing their job
    27        properly in advising the company of the results of their
    28        swab tests?
    29        A.  Taking the different points in order, it appears that
    30        Bristol Laboratories are doing a very professional job in
    31        providing this information.
    32
    33   Q.   Yes.
    34        A.  And another point you raised, I would not infer from
    35        this that no action had been taken because of an E grade.
    36        The period of time has gone on in between the two
    37        incidents, so I am not aware at this distance what action
    38        was taken.  Again, if there had been a result which
    39        indicated gross contamination of the surfaces examined,
    40        I do know that it is practice for the laboratory to make a
    41        separate note of that at the bottom of the report and say:
    42        "You have a serious problem here".  That does not emerge
    43        from an examination of these reports, in my view.
    44
    45   MR. JUSTICE BELL: Is there any meat actually which gets below
    46        "C" on any of those?  Yes, there is lamb flank in the
    47        chiller on 23rd May which is "D", and then 27th June there
    48        is lamb flank again which is "E"?
    49        A.  The same point would apply, my Lord.
    50 
    51   Q.   You seem to be able to have Es on the tables without having 
    52        them on the meat? 
    53
    54   MR. MORRIS:  Is it not the case that the meat in the chiller is
    55        before the boning hall?
    56        A.  Yes.
    57
    58   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Is that right?
    59
    60   MR. MORRIS:  The beef then gets put on the trimtable?

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