Day 168 - 03 Oct 95 - Page 43


     
     1        for the whole store constantly trips out and so you remove
     2        the RCD cover.
     3
     4   Q.   Wait a minute.
     5
     6   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Can I say again, whether it is right or
     7        wrong, I am not at the moment, I do not think, having any
     8        problem understanding it ---
     9
    10   MR. MORRIS:  Yes.
    11
    12   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  -- the fuse is taken out from time to time
    13        while you had this recurring problem with the RCD system?
    14        A.  That is right.
    15
    16   Q.   The time came when Clayton and McDonald's thought it had
    17        been solved; on the basis that it had been solved there
    18        could be no excuse for using the main fuse?
    19        A.  That is correct.
    20
    21   Q.   Because you could not justifiably you say:  "Oh, it is that
    22        blasted system that has gone wrong again".  It must mean
    23        that there was some fault somewhere which ought to be seen
    24        to.  So if when you did your replugging exercise you could
    25        not attribute the trip to a specific piece of apparently
    26        faulty equipment, you had to live with the system being off
    27        rather than take the main fuse out; is that right?
    28        A.  That is correct.
    29
    30   MR. MORRIS:  But the memo issued was to all stores and all
    31        stores would not be the slightest interested in Bath
    32        problems, would they?
    33        A.  Well, presumably -- I cannot speak for the other
    34        stores, by I can assume that other stores had similar
    35        problems with the RCD units as they were -- I think the
    36        problem came from the fact they tried to fit a standard
    37        unit and a standard system to every store in the country,
    38        and bearing in mind that every store is a different shape
    39        and so on, I think that is where the problem started to
    40        occur.
    41
    42   Q.   But, in any event, according to Frank Stanton's memo -- if
    43        it was Frank Stanton -- no-one should remove the trip
    44        switch for RCD cover at all?
    45        A.  That is correct.
    46
    47   Q.   In the memo did he point to any laws or regulations that
    48        were being infringed?
    49        A.  No, he did not.  From what I remember of the memo,
    50        I think it was in the early months of this year or the late 
    51        months of last year, he made it quite specific, that under 
    52        no circumstances were they to be removed, and very few 
    53        people are in a position to argue with him and so .....
    54
    55   Q.   If the Manager, or whoever, had checked all the machines by
    56        resetting them and it had tripped out again, he would know
    57        there was something wrong with the RCD system, that is what
    58        you are saying, yes?
    59        A.  Or it might be a small, a very small fault on a piece
    60        of equipment.  Either way, you just perform the same checks

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