An Accident in the Factory

(In John Martin's office)

Peter Wiles: Hello, John. A lot of work going on here, I see.

John Martin: Yes, we're up to our eyes. We've had a record sales week.

Peter: Splendid. (Telephone rings.)

John: Hello? John Martin here. Yes, Mr Wiles is here, Ted. What! Oh, no! How frightful! Is the man all right? Yes, come on up... That was Ted Fielding.

He's been phoning for you all over the building. There's been an accident in the fitters' shop.

Peter: Oh Lord! Why didn't he go straight to the Personnel Manager? That's his business.

John: Ian Hampden's away.

Peter: Oh, I'd forgotten he was going away this week. Then I suppose it is my responsibility. Is it serious?

John: Ted didn't say. He seemed anxious to come up and see you right away.

Ah, here he is. Come in, Ted.

Peter: Good heavens, man, you look awful? It's not a fatal accident, is it?

Ted: No, but it's very nasty.

John: Sit down, Ted. What happened?

Ted: It's Reg Arnold in the fitters' shop. He didn't put on goggles when he was using the grinding machine and a lot of steel filings flew up.... Oh, he looks terrible; one eye's very bad... The foreman called me, and I sent for Robinson, who's trained in first aid. I called you as soon as I could.

Peter: Where is Reg now?

Ted: They've taken him to the first aid room, until the ambulance arrives.

Ted: Ah, there's the ambulance now.

John: Let's go down.

Peter: Not so fast, John.

John: What do you mean?

Peter: Don't rush things.

John: For goodness sake! Surely we can see the poor chap into the ambulance.

Peter: I think we'll all stay here. An industrial accident can be a tricky affair.

It's best to keep out of the way.

John: Surely not. It was the man's own fault by the sound of it.

Peter: My experience is that when there's an accident it's never the man's fault; anyway, in the opinion of our own particular shop steward. You'll see.

Jack Green will make the most of this. He'll suggest that the supervisor should have noticed that he wasn't wearing goggles and insisted that he put them on. It could cost the firm a lot of money.

(An hour later, in Peter Wiles's office)

Jane: Oh, Mr Wiles, Jack Green, the shop steward, is waiting to see you.

Peter: Ah, the inevitable! All right. Ask him to come in.

Jane: Yes.

Peter: Ah, Jack, I've been expecting you.

(Later that day, John comes into Peter's office)

John: Hello, Peter. You've had a visit from Green, I gather.

Peter: Yes. He says the safety precautions are inadequate.

John: Surely they can't be. After all, there's a notice hanging over every machine warning the men to wear goggles.

Peter: Yes, but Green wants a full-time safety manager. I wonder what Hector Grant will say to that!

John: Well you haven't got to worry about Reg Arnold sueing the company.

Hector Grant asked me to go down to the hospital to see him. I did, and he admitted it was entirely his fault.

Peter: What did he say?

John: He was almost apologetic. As if we were the ones who were suffering!

He said he was sorry he'd caused so much trouble.

Peter: H'm. Did anyone else hear him say that, apart from you?

John: Yes. Ted Fielding, who came with me, and two nurses.

Peter: Good. Arnold won't be able to make out a case of negligence against us, when Green gets hold of him.

John: I never realised how tough you could be. You haven't given a thought to the poor unfortunate man. All you care about is the politics of the affair.

You're as bad as Jack Green.

Peter: Well, someone's got to be tough if you want to stay in business.

John: I couldn't disagree with you more. Where are you going? Golf, I suppose.

Peter: Not a bad idea on a lovely afternoon like this. No, as a matter of fact I thought I'd call at the hospital on my way home to see Reg Arnold. But I'll get the Personnel Department to check up first how many weeks at full pay he's entitled to under the company sick-pay scheme. You know, it makes up the difference between National Insurance payments and his normal basic rate.

That should cheer him up!

UNIT 9

Дата добавления: 2015-07-25