Day 130 - 26 May 95 - Page 65


     
     1        safe and others safe; they are trained how to do their job
     2        properly and safely.
     3
     4   Q.   So you have not issued any memos or written any report,
     5        including the point that you feel the Company should employ
     6        a more balanced range of age groups to give that extra
     7        added common sense and maturity to the job?
     8        A.  I have got no reason to think there is a need to do
     9        so.  Again, you know, I spend a lot of time in
    10        restaurants.  It is not as if I worked in restaurants 11
    11        years ago and have not been back since.  I know exactly
    12        what crew morale is like, the sort of crew we employ.
    13        There is no reason, just because they are in their late
    14        teens, the majority of them, they are at any extra risk
    15        than if we employed somebody in their late 20s.  They are
    16        young and fit which is more than some of us can say when we
    17        get a bit older.
    18
    19   Q.   In your quest for improving your risk management awareness,
    20        as you assert, have you issued memos or reports, or the
    21        like, concerned about the high turnover and that people are
    22        basically because of that doing jobs -- because of the
    23        short time people are staying, they are not really as
    24        trained as someone who would be there for, you know, a
    25        stable workforce, have you issued or made any comments or
    26        brought that up in this way as a concern?
    27
    28   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Do you see any risk factor in the turnover
    29        rates as you have known them to be?
    30        A.  Well, it might be very small because, as we discussed
    31        before, when people are new they tend to have more minor
    32        accidents just because they are not used to
    33        the environment.  Having said that, the turnover is such a
    34        big issue anyway because it is in our interests for all
    35        sorts of reasons to make sure that people stay with us,
    36        that safety is only a very small part of that and they do
    37        get training from day one to allow them to work safely.
    38
    39   MR. MORRIS:  Yes, but safety is your No. 1 priority, you have
    40        said, and therefore if that is something you have brought
    41        up with whoever makes the policies on staffing policies,
    42        that turnover should be reduced?
    43        A.  Why should I ----
    44
    45   Q.   In order to improve safety?
    46        A.  Why should I when I know it has been addressed anyway?
    47
    48   Q.   So if somebody is already concerned with something for
    49        other reasons, you do not have to worry about it then, no
    50        one would ask your opinion as well? 
    51        A.  Of course they would ask my opinion.  I have had 
    52        conversations with the personnel people about this.  They 
    53        have it in hand with the Operations people.  The risk
    54        involve, the extra risk, is very, very small.  I feel my
    55        time is better spent on other areas.  My people's time is
    56        better spent on other areas.  It is bringing up something
    57        for the sake of it when I can see it has already been
    58        addressed -- and been addressed very thoroughly for that
    59        matter.
    60

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