Day 130 - 26 May 95 - Page 57


     
     1        the crew meetings was the only system, apart rap sessions,
     2        that was nationwide.
     3
     4   Q.   It said that was qualified "If used to build general
     5        awareness, review practices or procedures operating in the
     6        store, and encourage improvements".  So that was no
     7        commendation of the crew meetings in reality, was it?  It
     8        just said they were the best available forum, if used
     9        properly?
    10        A.  Well, he did go on to say later on about safety
    11        circles, so I assume.
    12
    13   Q.   There were no safety circles?
    14        A.  I assume he felt that was a more appropriate way to go
    15        forward, which is the one we adopted.
    16
    17   Q.   Other companies have safety representatives with power to
    18        halt Operations, do they not, amongst the employees?
    19        A.  If you are talking about the safety representatives
    20        under the appropriate legislation, yes, I believe they do.
    21
    22   Q.   Yes, and unionised companies, with trade unions, may have a
    23        union health and safety committee also would, they not?
    24        A.  They may do, yes, but, as I say, we have the safety
    25        circles in place.  We also have one of the management team
    26        designated as safety co-ordinator.  One of the things that
    27        we specify is that some of the experienced crew, the ones
    28        this have more sway with other crew members, who are the
    29        roll models, are part of safety circle.
    30
    31   Q.   The safety circles discuss the safety matters, do they?
    32        A.  They have specific things that we advise that they
    33        discuss.  For example, any action agreed at the previous
    34        meeting, accident trends in the restaurants, whether
    35        Environmental Health Officers have been in, safety audit
    36        results, any particular trends on parts of the safety
    37        audit.
    38
    39   Q.   Discussion groups, basically?
    40        A.  No, the idea is they make recommendations and sanction
    41        actions and that they follow up.
    42
    43   Q.   They put forward proposals to management?
    44        A.  They follow up at the next meeting to make sure those
    45        have been put in place.  There is also a route they can go
    46        through to senior operations management in that region, and
    47        make a specific recommendation to them if they feel they
    48        are not getting support at restaurant level.
    49
    50   Q.   But the reality is, is it not, that that is no substitute 
    51        for having employees with the power to say "We are not 
    52        touching that machine, we are not going to work for one 
    53        other minute until you get the fire sprinklers working, or
    54        whatever or until this floor tiling which has is too
    55        slippery gets immediately replaced, or whatever.  You have
    56        not got that, have you?
    57        A.  Well, we certainly do not have official safety
    58        representatives, if you are saying that is a power they
    59        have.
    60

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