Day 102 - 13 Mar 95 - Page 44


     
     1        A.  Because you would have, essentially, something which
     2        was flexible in a system which was otherwise rigid.
     3
     4   Q.   But it is at the top of a drawer; it is not going to affect
     5        the whole structure, is it?
     6        A.  No.
     7
     8   Q.   It is not going weaken it or anything like that?
     9        A.  Well, it will affect the strength of that drawer and it
    10        will affect its ability to go through equipment like tray
    11        washers, for example.
    12
    13   Q.   So it was because of commercial considerations that you
    14        decided against changing the design of the drawer?
    15        A.  That was only a suggestion from somebody who was taking
    16        a snap-shot look at our organisation who did not
    17        understand, necessarily, all the implications.
    18
    19   Q.   The financial implications further down the line?
    20        A.  Perhaps, but lots of others as well.
    21
    22   Q.   What others?
    23        A.  Well, usually, the simplest answer to improving a
    24        situation is to take the simplest solution, and in this
    25        case it was to tell people to be careful when they are
    26        closing the drawers.  There did not seem to me to be any
    27        point in redesigning the whole module system.
    28
    29   Q.   So up to that time you are saying the workers or the
    30        catchers were not being careful?
    31        A.  Obviously, if you trap heads of chickens in drawers
    32        then you are not taking care, are you?
    33
    34   Q.   But you did not increase the time given for them to do it?
    35        A.  We have always felt they have had sufficient time to do
    36        it.
    37
    38   Q.   If they had sufficient time to do it, why should they be
    39        rushing and having these things happening?
    40
    41   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  You are assuming it was because they were
    42        rushing rather than, for instance, keeping a proper look
    43        out.  Was it because they were hurrying, do you think, or
    44        why, that this happened?
    45        A.  I think it is just lack of due care and attention.
    46
    47   Q.   What happened after you gave the instruction?  Did it
    48        improve or did it stay pretty well as it was?
    49        A.  I believe the situation has substantially improved.
    50 
    51   MS. STEEL:   Has Sun Valley been warned by the Ministry over 
    52        this? 
    53        A.  No, it has not.
    54
    55   Q.   It has not had any contact at all about this?
    56        A.  No.
    57
    58   Q.   How frequent is suffocation during transport?  What
    59        percentage of birds does that affect?
    60        A.  Again, as I said, we do not analyse and postmortem

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