Day 181 - 01 Nov 95 - Page 59


     
     1        skip running.  I saw people working rapidly.  I believe
     2        I saw an operation working even then near to its, if you
     3        like, physical capacity, because these are not large areas
     4        of work.  You have to remember this.  These are not
     5        expansive kitchens.  These are relatively small premises.
     6
     7        I am not claiming that I saw back of house at the time I
     8        was there, people skip running.  I just saw a system under
     9        pressure with people moving rapidly between the various
    10        functions, and in each case I was there in each restaurant
    11        looking at the back of house, I was there for a matter of
    12        minutes, two, three, minutes.  That was the evident limit
    13        of my observation period and I, frankly, do not think it
    14        shows very much, but the front of house observations, of
    15        course, there is very much more time to observe, (a)
    16        because I was sitting front of house and I could see what
    17        was going on, and (b) because I stood front of house and
    18        (c) because I have been a customer.  So, you know, I have
    19        seen it with much more opportunity.
    20
    21   Q.   The last question we have is regarding the RIDDOR accident
    22        statistics which you have already stated your opinion about
    23        the non-major injuries which are a feature of the catering
    24        industry and should be taken seriously, you said.  But, as
    25        far as RIDDOR accidents, it says that there was in the
    26        hotel and catering industry, according to this chart,
    27        reported 252 per 100,000 employees major accidents.  That
    28        is on page 108 of that bulletin, which I must remember to
    29        give back to Mr. Rampton.  Yes?
    30        A.  Yes, I can see that.
    31
    32   Q.   I believe McDonald's RIDDOR accidents are something around
    33        400 a year, something like that?
    34        A.  Numerically.
    35
    36   Q.   Numerically, for about 30,000 employees, that is
    37        approximate, which would indicate something like four and a
    38        half times ---
    39
    40   MR. RAMPTON:  No, my Lord.  This will not do.
    41
    42   MR. MORRIS:  -- the rate of the -----
    43
    44   MR. RAMPTON:  No, my Lord.  I wish to make an interruption and
    45        Mr. Morris should sit down while I do it.  I offered the
    46        witness an opportunity of judging these figures according
    47        to the comparative reporting rates.  If the witness is to
    48        answer this question sensibly, he must know what McDonald's
    49        reporting rate is as compared with that for the industry as
    50        a whole. 
    51 
    52   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  It is fair enough to cross-examine on it, but 
    53        it seems to me that with these figures, now I have these
    54        figures in front of me, from then on it is a matter of
    55        argument.  Mr. Rampton's point is valid to this extent,
    56        that the argument when addressed to me will be on the basis
    57        of all the relevant evidence and what I make of it, that
    58        is, I will have to decide whether I accept the evidence on
    59        this point, or that point and what conclusion I can draw.
    60        I find it difficult to see at the moment how Mr. Pearson

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