Day 127 - 23 May 95 - Page 73


     
     1        Then at 2.31 there is what might be construed as a
     2        criticism, Mrs. Barnes:  "Company decisions affecting
     3        safety were generally communicated by internal memo to
     4        restaurant managers.  Memos tended to be kept together for
     5        a week or so and then filed after the restaurant management
     6        meeting.  Communication appeared more effective where these
     7        were kept accessible for all managers who then had to sign
     8        that they had read them, and where this was backed up by
     9        further discussion of important items at the weekly
    10        restaurant management team meeting.  There was further
    11        reinforcement by Area Supervisors in their regular meetings
    12        with Restaurant Managers and their management team".
    13
    14        Have you done anything about that tendency to keep the
    15        memos together instead of, as it were, taking immediate
    16        action on them?
    17        A.  Yes.  We tried for a while printing the memos on a
    18        different coloured paper to point out that they were
    19        something different, but the feed back from Operations was
    20        that they did not particularly like that; in fact, they
    21        find it quite amusing.  So, what we do now is put a safety
    22        logo on the memos, and they are required to keep them in
    23        their health and safety file so that they are all close
    24        together and easy to find and refer to.
    25
    26   Q.   And less easier for them to construct those dusty piles of
    27        documents that most of us keep in our houses ?
    28        A.  Yes.
    29
    30   Q.   Then 2.33:  "Good use was being made of the Company's
    31        in-house publications, with regular articles on health and
    32        safety featuring in the issues of 'High Levels' (aimed at
    33        managers) and 'McNews' (aimed at crew).  With the current
    34        topicality of, for example health issues, ergonomics,
    35        manual handling etc., there is also room for a regular spot
    36        on health and safety in 'EFT'" -- what does that stand for?
    37        A.  East Finchley Times.
    38
    39   Q.   Does East Finchley Times get a health and safety spot now?
    40        A.  It did until it was disbanded.
    41
    42   Q.   It is no longer published?
    43        A.  No, no longer.
    44
    45   Q.   Are those health and safety features still appearing in
    46        high levels in McNews?
    47        A.  They are, yes.
    48
    49   Q.   Then, Mrs. Barnes, 8.27, "Face to Face Communication:  Face
    50        to face communication between managers and crew is very 
    51        important in the restaurants".  I am not going to read the 
    52        rest of it.  What I want to ask you is this:  Of those 
    53        forms of communication, visible communication, written
    54        communication and face to face communication, do you think
    55        that any one is more important than the other?
    56        A.  Well, they all have a role to play.  I think
    57        particularly with something like safety you certainly need
    58        written communication so you can make sure you have the
    59        specifics there, but there is no doubt that leading by
    60        example has a big role as well, and certainly face to face

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