Day 131 - 06 Jun 95 - Page 57
1 and I have looked at that aspect of it. So I form my own
2 opinions of the way they operate as well. But,
3 essentially, it is their statistics that I look at.
4
5 Q. RIDDOR?
6 A. I would not have occasion to examine the accidents
7 books, myself.
8
9 Q. So RIDDOR statistics are the ones -----
10 A. The RIDDOR statistics are the ones I would see
11 normally.
12
13 Q. I think Jill Barnes has said they do not have any other
14 statistics; those are the statistics they have, the RIDDOR
15 statistics?
16 A. Yes, that is right -- the RIDDOR statistics.
17
18 Q. So you have absolutely no idea, in reality, what the
19 reporting rate for McDonald's RIDDOR accidents are, do you?
20 A. I have no specific knowledge of that fact. I would
21 take what Jill Barnes said. She is close to the
22 situation. I do know, however, and it is obvious, that
23 McDonald's are structured to report accidents, because
24 I have seen the forms and because I have had managers and
25 supervisors on my courses, and I know that it is part of
26 their culture to report. So I am not surprised to hear her
27 say that they are now achieving something like 90 per cent
28 of RIDDOR accidents reported, which is very high in
29 industry, generally.
30
31 Q. But it would be high compared to the rest of the industry
32 that you have compared it with, if it was 30 per cent or
33 50 per cent, would it not; it would still be high?
34 A. It would be high compared to the rest of the catering
35 industry, certainly.
36
37 Q. So you have absolutely no idea whether it is 80 per cent or
38 90 per cent?
39 A. I cannot say authoritatively whether it is 80 or 90
40 per cent. All I can say is, I know it is part of their
41 culture to report and, by my own experience, I know they
42 are likely to get a much better accurate figure than most
43 similar organisations.
44
45 Q. But they have only done this since 1991, have they not?
46 A. As far as I am aware. I am not aware of any statistics
47 beforehand. They may have got them. If so, I would not
48 know.
49
50 Q. I cannot remember the exact year. We did discuss it in
51 detail before with Mrs. Barnes. Before they were compelled
52 by law to report accidents, as far as you -----
53 A. I am sorry -- they have been compelled to report
54 accidents by law for many years.
55
56 Q. They have?
57 A. Yes. RIDDOR was not the first piece of legislation.
58
59 Q. They did not compile statistics, though, on that
60 until -- the RIDDOR statistics of 335 in 1991 -----
