Day 085 - 08 Feb 95 - Page 09

     
     1        standard, and that we probably report a larger proportion
     2        of our accidents than the industry standard.
     3
     4   Q.   I think somewhere later on it says that the normal
     5        reporting levels are something between 10 to 15 per cent in
     6        that sector, so you certainly believe you are above that?
     7        A.  My understanding is that we would report more accidents
     8        than our competitors or other similar companies would.
     9
    10   Q.   It refers to a meeting in July 1991 in the second
    11        paragraph.  Do you know anything about that?
    12        A.  No.  I just was not in that position.  I was an
    13        Operations Manager in East Anglia at that point in time.
    14
    15   Q.   If we turn over the page to -- for some reason I have 800
    16        next -- if you go back to page 801.  I am a bit
    17        disorganised.
    18
    19   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  What I suggest is ----
    20
    MR. MORRIS:  It is awkward.
    22
    23   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  -- why do you not take them in your order?
    24        It was a good to try to get them in the order in the
    25        publication.  (To the witness):  If at any stage before you
    26        answer you want time to look back at something else, just
    27        say so, Mr. Atherton, or look at something else.
    28        A.  Thank you.
    29
    30   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Do you want page 801 or another page?
    31
    32   MR. MORRIS:  I am getting a little bit tied up here.  I think
    33        I will go through the Conclusions and Recommendations.  If
    34        we can just skip ahead to 852?  Just before you read that,
    35        you said it was a good report and helpful to you.  Just
    36        from casting your eye over it before the Conclusions and
    37        Recommendations, in what way did you feel it was good and
    38        helpful?
    39        A.  Well, under the circumstances of not having seen it
    40        before and just whizzing through it in a few seconds,
         I think that anything that helps to point out areas where
    42        we can improve in health and safety has to be good.  It
    43        does not matter where this comes from.  But a document like
    44        this would be of great use to us in trying to achieve our
    45        aim of improving the health and safety and reducing
    46        accidents in our restaurants, so in that circumstance
    47        I think it is good.
    48
    49   Q.   Were there any recommendations that you did not agree with
    50        when you cast your eye over that you can remember? 
    51        A.  There is none that I would really think I disagree 
    52        with, but it is very difficult to look at a report that is 
    53        published in 1992 when I did not have any experience of
    54        this.  So, there is nothing that really stood out to me
    55        that did not seem a fair recommendation.
    56
    57   Q.   Did that go for the Conclusions as well?  You have read the
    58        Conclusions and Recommendations together as a whole -----
    59        A.  I have run through the Conclusions and Recommendations
    60        and I think they were positive.  There were things for us