Day 130 - 26 May 95 - Page 74


     
     1
     2   Q.   Thank you.  I would like to ask you about competition at
     3        certain times of certain days amongst till people.  Yes?
     4        A.  Yes.
     5
     6   Q.   The suggestion by the Defendants is that that is extremely
     7        hazardous, because it leads to, they are so anxious to win
     8        the competition that it leads to a higher rate of injury or
     9        risk of injury.  Can I ask you what do the till people in a
    10        restaurant actually do?
    11        A.  Well, it depends on the staffing levels.  They, at a
    12        quieter time and some busier times, they will both take
    13        orders from the customers, then assemble the order as well,
    14        but at really busy times it is quite common in a lot of
    15        stores to what we call "backers", so the till person will
    16        take the order, take the money, but somebody else will
    17        actually bring the order for them, present the order for
    18        them.
    19
    20   Q.   If there is a competition going on, and the till person is
    21        trying to take more money at the till than the other people
    22        in the line, is there any particular risk, increased risk,
    23        which the till person incurs if he is a backer, he or she,
    24        in those particular circumstances, that you can think of?
    25        A.  No, I do not think so.
    26
    27   Q.   Do the till people stand, rather than sit on a stool?
    28        A.  They stand, yes.
    29
    30   Q.   Can you find volume pink XIII, please, Mrs. Barnes, and
    31        turn to tab 57-O, I think it is.  I hope you will find a
    32        bunch of observation check lists?
    33        A.  Yes.
    34
    35   Q.   I have not got mine in the same section, but I hope there
    36        is one at page 24 which you find written in the top
    37        right-hand corner, which is "filtering"?
    38        A.  Yes.
    39
    40   Q.   Before you look at it, the suggestion, if you remember, by
    41        both Ms. Steel and Mr. Morris, was that the front pages of
    42        these observation check lists contain nothing relating to
    43        health and safety.  Do you remember that suggestion?
    44        A.  I do, yes.
    45
    46   Q.   Can we just look at this one, filtering, as I think you
    47        have agreed, is one, if not the most hazardous exercises
    48        which are undertaken in the restaurant; is that right?
    49        A.  Potentially so, yes.
    50 
    51   Q.   Potentially? 
    52        A.  Because of the hot shortening. 
    53
    54   Q.   Can I ask you about the various observations which are
    55        checked, according to this list?  No. 3:  "All vats are
    56        turned off before filtering begins".  Has that anything to
    57        do with health and safety?
    58        A.  Well, yes, because if the vat should be emptied while
    59        they are still switched on, you could get a vat fire.
    60

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