Day 006 - 05 Jul 94 - Page 15
1
Q. You are aware we are going to be bringing a witness who
2 witnessed the incident?
A. Well, you bring whomever you wish to bring. The
3 incident was investigated by the -----
4 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Let us take it step by step. Are you aware
or not that the defendants -----
5
A. No, I -----
6
Q. That is the answer to the question and Mr. Morris can ask
7 another question if he wishes.
8 MR. MORRIS: Are you aware that the equipment being used by
Mark Hopkins when he was electrocuted was faulty?
9 A. No. I am not aware that it was faulty.
10 Q. Are you aware that following that accident the company
demanded that all its restaurants changed the wiring
11 system in the plugs on that form of equipment?
A. I know we installed in the restaurants yet another
12 safety device, so that if someone, for whatever reason,
chose not to play by the rules they had been trained to,
13 there was an another fail safe, another check imbalance.
14 Q. What was the safety device that you implied before the new
kind of plugs were fitted then?
15 A. The standard British fused plugs, that which you find
all through the United Kingdom and many other places in
16 the world.
17 Q. Yes.
18 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Can we just see where we are going on this?
19 MR. MORRIS: I am trying to identify -----
20 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Just listen to me for a moment. If you are
investigating the circumstances of the accident, I would
21 suggest this is not the appropriate witness to do it. If
the purpose of your questioning is to make some point
22 about the chief executive's awareness or lack of
awareness, then I can see it is relevant, but not on an
23 investigation into these circumstances.
24 MR. MORRIS: No, I understand that, but OK. So until that
moment in your stores a standard plug, as someone would
25 use in thier kettle at home, for example, was the standard
for all the electrical devices in McDonald's stores?
26 A. Well, the plugs in our restaurants are not all like
you use in your home, but they are all, you know, some are
27 varying sizes and shapes, depending on the vaultages
concerned, but on this particular device, as I remember
28 it, it was a standard UK 13 AMP plug fused.
29 Q. That is not a safety device, is it, that is just a plug?
A. Well, it is what is recommended by the authorities
30 here as what you use in this circumstance. We did not go
off and do something without the approval of the
