Day 085 - 08 Feb 95 - Page 08

     
     1        then page 862 through to 869, but he will do it with the
     2        benefit of being focused in upon what he particularly needs
     3        to concentrate on.
     4
     5   MR. MORRIS:  I have not got one particular question to put to
     6        him so if he can just read it.
     7
     8   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Would you please sit down, Mr. Atherton.  Do
     9        take your time.  Do not think just because you are reading
    10        in court you need rush and you cannot go back over it and
    11        read it again.  Please read pages 800 and 801 and then 862
    12        to 869.  I am going to read them as well.
    13
    14   THE WITNESS:  I have finished reading it now.
    15
    16   MR. MORRIS:  Is McDonald's willing to take notice of criticisms
    17        and recommendations from these kinds of bodies, Health &
    18        Safety Executive?
    19        A.  Most definitely.
    20
    Q.   The Accident Prevention Advisory Unit which is responsible
    22        for this document and the Health & Safety Executive, have
    23        you had any contact with them or memos or relations in any
    24        way since this report was issued?
    25        A.  I personally have not, no.
    26
    27   Q.   Do you feel this is a helpful report in helping you to
    28        identify goals?
    29        A.  Yes, having read it for the first time, I think it is a
    30        very good report.  It is good to see that they acknowledge
    31        that we take health and safety seriously and see it as a
    32        main obligation.  It is also useful that they point out a
    33        number of things where we could improve, and it is
    34        gratifying to see that within the company we have taken up
    35        a lot of their recommendations.
    36
    37   Q.   Maybe if we can have a look at the Conclusions and
    38        Recommendations.  Before we do that, if I just go through
    39        it in the order that it is in, rather than trying to have
    40        some other order.  If we start with 802, please, the second
         sentence refers to reporting of injuries, yes?
    42        A.  The second sentence?
    43
    44   Q.   Of the first paragraph on page 802?
    45        A.  Examination of the Reported Injury Records.
    46
    47   Q.   Yes.  "... showed that a large proportion were reported by
    48        McDonald's, though this was undoubtedly due to general
    49        under-reporting in this sector"?
    50        A.  Right. 
    51 
    52   Q.   Do you know about the catering sector as a whole or do you 
    53        just know about McDonald's?
    54        A.  What aspects of the catering sector?
    55
    56   Q.   Are you aware of other companies' records equivalent to
    57        yours, I mean, obviously, Burger King, Pizza Hut, general
    58        catering?
    59        A.  My belief from dealings with Environmental Health
    60        Officers is that we have a better system than the industry