Day 130 - 26 May 95 - Page 15
1 applies to everyone in this matter. In so far as it
2 becomes relevant for me to make any criticisms, I will only
3 do so if I feel it right to do so upon admissible evidence
4 in the case.
5
6 MR. MORRIS: It is just that Mrs. Barnes did say that she has
7 taken on board what Mr. Shirkie said. He is -----
8
9 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I am not going to attach importance to a
10 sentence like that.
11
12 MR. MORRIS: Who is Vince Kelly, by the way?
13 A. He is from Invega who are the electrical contractors.
14
15 Q. Is it true that, in general, that health and safety
16 procedures are less likely to be followed during rush hour
17 and close periods when there is pressure of work, or time
18 pressure?
19 A. No, I do not believe it is true at all. In fact, in my
20 experience, working in a restaurant when it is busy -- if
21 you want to call it busy -- fewer minor accidents occur.
22 There are very few serious accidents, if at all, and there
23 are fewer of the minor accidents. People are just getting
24 on with their jobs.
25
26 Q. So when they are not getting on with their jobs, they are
27 creating accidents?
28 A. No, it is more that. When it is busy you kind of get
29 into a routine and, as I say, you just get on with things,
30 go along very smoothly. To some extent when it is quieter
31 and people are doing things more slowly, they are more
32 likely to make a mistake because you have not got that
33 routine of things happening.
34
35 Q. Mr. Chapman, he was a trainer, was he not?
36 A. I believe he was, yes.
37
38 Q. For some years he had worked in a number of stores,
39 training other crew members for the Company?
40 A. I do not know how long he had been training squad.
41 I do know he once left the Company and come back again.
42
43 Q. He had done that in other stores as well?
44 A. I believe he joined in 1989, so he had been with the
45 Company three years.
46
47 Q. What I am saying is he had been a particular training squad
48 person who was able to go and visit other stores to train
49 crew members?
50 A. Training squads usually do to other stores,
51 particularly when they are new ones, yes.
52
53 Q. Are you aware he had been to Edinburgh, Macclesfield,
54 Stockport and Blackpool?
55 A. Not those specific stores, but it would not surprise
56 me.
57
58 MR. JUSTICE BELL: It would not surprise you if he had been to
59 other stores?
60 A. No.
