Day 127 - 23 May 95 - Page 62
1 A. It is certainly a new system, but it is really bringing
2 together what was in place already, but giving ownership to
3 operations as opposed to getting outside people involved.
4
5 Q. Was this in any sense prompted by the HSE examination of
6 McDonald's operations?
7 A. Well, it was discussed with Andrew Foster, the format
8 of it, Andrew Foster from the HSE, but it is something that
9 I had already started on by the December early January when
10 Andrew started doing his interviews.
11
12 Q. You say in the second paragraph: "We experience less than
13 one notifiable accident per store per year." We will look
14 at the statistics in a moment but, if my arithmetic is
15 right, then what you say there is correct. "So carrying
16 out this investigation will not be a great on the
17 supervisors' or store managers' time. A commitment to
18 formally investigate accidents will help us better identify
19 exactly why accidents happen, and will help in
20 demonstrating responsible attitudes, attitudes to EHOs."
21
22 Never mind the last part of that sentence, Mrs. Barnes, has
23 it, in fact, turned out that he formal investigation of
24 accidents by the Company has helped you better identify why
25 accidents happen?
26 A. It certainly meant we have the got the information
27 together a lot quicker and we have had more facts there
28 when we felt we needed to take decisions on changing
29 procedures. It obviously cannot compare with what would
30 have happened if we had not investigated.
31
32 Q. Then you say underlined: "Attached are full instructions
33 for completeing the investigation." Bottom of the page in
34 capital letters: "WHEN YOU REPORT AN ACCIDENT TO THE
35 REGIONAL PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT YOU WILL BE REMINDED THAT A
36 FORMAL INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT." Are you
37 satisfied that happens in practice?
38 A. At the time this was written certainly the personnel
39 people would follow up. Now my people follow up and one of
40 the things they monitor regionally is how quickly the
41 stores are getting the investigation forms back and they
42 will alert senior operations if they are not getting the
43 investigations back.
44
45 Q. Then on the next page, Mrs. Barnes, the objective of
46 accident investigation: "The aim of investigation is not to
47 apportion blame but to identify the causes of the
48 accident. Where necessary action can then be taken to
49 prevent recurrence. Eventually, there should be fewer
50 accidents o investigate. The current rate of accidents
51 equates to one" -- in fact I think it is slightly less than
52 one -- "notifiable accident per store per year per"?
53 A. Yes.
54
55 Q. Again, fine words, but are you satisfied that in practice
56 these investigations are not used as a means of internal
57 prosecution or persecution of the employee?
58 A. I have not come across any evidence of it and, well,
59 certainly our accident rates have now fallen to around,
60 well, it is about .8 of an accident per store per year.
