page 1 1 Friday, 18th July 2008 2 (10.37 am) 3 MR MARTIN: My Lord, before I call the next witness I wonder 4 if I could indicate for the purposes of the site visit 5 which is to take place later this morning that we have 6 been able to obtain two further aerial photographs which 7 may be of assistance. I will describe these. I am not 8 sure if copies have yet been circulated but they will 9 certainly be made available. There are a number of 10 copies before the site inspection. 11 The first is an oblique aerial photograph which has 12 been provided by Strathclyde Police. It may have been 13 taken by one of their aircraft. It shows a view looking 14 approximately northwards across the site, fairly 15 recently. The shopping centre is there but obviously 16 before the disaster took place. It shows, for example, 17 the position of car parks. It is just possible to 18 discern the apex of the wall in the yard, although it is 19 not particularly easy and other features, as well as the 20 line of Hopehill Street and Grovepark Street. 21 The second, my Lord, is an aerial photograph taken 22 by a company called Mason Land Surveys who have been 23 good enough to provide it to the Inquiry. It is 24 a directly vertical downwards aerial shot, including the 25 site of Grovepark Mills but taken in about 2006 after page 2 1 the disaster. 2 Unfortunately, my Lord, although this shows part of 3 the area of the site, it does not show all of it. In 4 particular, it does not extend quite as far as Hopehill 5 Street and the junction with Grovepark Street and 6 regrettably the company, who have been helpful, have 7 simply indicated that that is the photograph they took 8 and it cannot be taken any further. 9 I hope again, it is of some assistance. It 10 certainly shows the Stockline premises, it shows the 11 cleared area where the mill building was situated, it 12 shows Gael's and the associated buildings but it does 13 not particularly show what is now the car parking and 14 only shows a very little part of the row of modern 15 shops. But at least these documents are available to 16 the extent that they can be helpful, my Lord, and I they 17 will be scanned in and given document numbers in due 18 course. 19 THE CHAIRMAN: Will the families get an opportunity to see 20 them? 21 MR MARTIN: Certainly, my Lord. I am not sure there is 22 sufficient a number of copies to hand them all out 23 immediately but, yes, the whole idea is that people can 24 have a look at these in the context of the visit and, if 25 necessary, before we go that will certainly be done. I page 3 1 think the difficulty is we do not have photocopying 2 facilities here that are good enough actually to do it 3 on site. 4 The next witness is Mr Colin Grant Foard. 5 COLIN GRANT FOARD (called) 6 Examined by MR MARTIN 7 Q. Mr Foard, I hope you have in front of you a copy of your 8 final Inquiry statement and I understand that you are 9 content that I should read through it on your behalf and 10 there are one or two additional matters that I should 11 like to ask you about as we do that. 12 A. Sure, no problem. 13 Q. Your full name is Colin Grant Foard and I shall read in 14 the first person: 15 "I am presently the Commercial Director of Stockline 16 Plastics Limited which is based at Grovepark Mills, 17 Hopehill Road, Glasgow. 18 "I joined the company on 1st September 1980 as 19 a stock clerk/management trainee. 20 "At that time Stewart McColl (who lost his life in 21 the disaster on 11th May 2004) and Campbell Downie were 22 Directors of Stockline Plastics. Stewart McColl was the 23 Managing Director. 24 "The company was looking for someone to train into 25 a senior position and I became Commercial Director 6 page 4 1 years after joining the company. 2 "Stockline Plastics is a plastics distributing 3 company. They buy sheet plastic and ancillary products, 4 for example rods/tubes. A large part of their business 5 is cut to size from clients' specification. 6 "As Commercial Director I am responsible for the 7 buying of and setting of prices of products sold and 8 overall supervision of the office and warehouse. 9 "The warehouse of Stockline Plastics is in 10 a building adjacent to that in which the disaster 11 occurred last year. All of our office staff, however, 12 worked within the main building." 13 I take it, Mr Foard, the access to Stockline 14 Plastics, other than for the employees, is from 15 Grovepark Street separate to the Grovepark Place 16 entrance to the former mill building? 17 A. The access to the Stockline warehouse was from Grovepark 18 Street but the office staff would have come in through 19 the main building. 20 Q. "Never in the whole time I have been employed 21 by Stockline Plastics did Campbell Downie have again 22 involvement in the running of the company. His 23 principal role was a financial one. 24 "Mrs Lorna Downie, Campbell's wife, had a personnel 25 role only. Although she was Company Secretary, the page 5 1 personnel role was her only function. 2 "Sheena McColl, Stewart's daughter was appointed 3 Sales Manager two to four years ago. 4 "Robert Warren was Store Supervisor. 5 "In relation to our admin, Monica Flynn was in 6 overall charge of the admin for Stockline Plastics and 7 Ann Trench (who lost her life) worked closely with 8 Monica. 9 "I have been asked what Campbell Downie's position 10 was in ICL Plastics Limited. As far as I am aware, 11 although Campbell was a Director, there was no Managing 12 Director of ICL Plastics. 13 "Stockline was autonomous with Stewart McColl in 14 charge and me next. Group (ICL Plastics) was like our 15 bank. ICL Plastics was the financial head of the Group. 16 We borrowed no money other than from Group for any 17 purchase which we made. The purchase of any assets, 18 cars, plant and machinery was all organised through 19 Group but set against the trading figures for Stockline. 20 "If, however, the purchase was a trading purchase 21 such as a large purchase of sheet plastic, if I wanted 22 to buy a large amount of plastic at a high price I could 23 do so without anybody's say so. This was because it was 24 a trading issue and not a capital investment. 25 "Capital purchases were not made often but when they page 6 1 were it would go through Group. 2 "The figurehead of ICL Plastics and the whole Group 3 was Campbell Downie. 4 "Margaret Brownlie was the Financial Director of the 5 company. She lost her life in the tragedy. She was 6 absolutely meticulous about figures. 7 "Stewart McColl was also Director of ICL Plastics 8 and both Margaret and Stewart would refer to Campbell 9 Downie. 10 "The Group Directors were Campbell and Lorna Downie 11 Stewart McColl and Margaret Brownlie. 12 "The only board meetings I ever attended were those 13 for Stockline Plastics. 14 "I can recall a couple of meetings where health and 15 safety issues were raised for the company throughout the 16 Group. In order to have a common set of proposals for 17 example, when the law was changed regarding having fire 18 marshals, they would bring in the directors from the 19 other subsidiaries in order that a common policy be set. 20 "As regards Stockline Plastics, Stewart McColl had 21 responsibility for health and safety. I do not know who 22 had responsibility for health and safety in the other 23 two companies. 24 "Risk assessment. 25 "In Stockline risk assessments were carried out by page 7 1 myself and Stewart McColl. The risk assessments with 2 the companies were almost identical. They were a number 3 of folders and books in relation to the training and 4 competence. Stewart McColl was very much aware of the 5 importance of risk assessments. 6 "We would have meeting two or three times per year 7 regarding new risk assessments and discuss anything we 8 felt deserved it, for example, general maintenance, for 9 example, the floor. 10 "In my office I had a folder which had the appendix 11 of meetings at the rear. It was not a paper exercise. 12 The company was very much aware of the importance. 13 Stewart McColl would review the assessments and 14 everything implemented. Stewart would have to receive 15 a copy. 16 "Risk assessments tended to be plagiarised in 17 Stockline and Tech and then possibly across the Group. 18 Constant communication led to this and you would look at 19 the practices of other companies in the Group and adopt 20 these if they appeared to be better than your own. The 21 structure was fairly loose in the companies and there 22 was interaction between the persons involved in them. 23 "Stockline were ISO 9000, which is a quality 24 performance standard adjudged by the BSI [which I think 25 is the British Standards Institute] and we would be page 8 1 regularly audited by them. Because of our ISO rating we 2 had to have formal training schedules in place for 3 staff. 4 "Stewart was fanatical about health and safety and 5 risk assessment. I would describe him as positively 6 zealous. 7 "He did not want people to be put at risk. For 8 example, I can recall a situation where we were training 9 a person who was new to the company in relation to the 10 carrying of plastic sheeting. Where plastic sheeting is 11 being carried in a large piece there is a specific 12 technique to approaching, lifting, carrying and racking 13 it. I can recall the new member of staff asking what he 14 should do if the piece of sheeting fell and Stewart 15 said, 'Don't do anything, that is don't attempt to catch 16 it', as he would not risk anybody being hurt. 17 "Because Stockline Plastics was not a manufacturing 18 company, we were covered by the Environmental Health 19 Department of the Council rather than being covered by 20 the Health & Safety Executive. 21 "We also had an insurance assessment every year and 22 rarely did we have anything to do to improve the 23 Stockline warehouses. 24 "At one point some information came in to do with 25 seating of staff to do with computer screens and we page 9 1 immediately changed all the seating and altered where 2 staff sat to accommodate information which we received 3 regarding the most suitable relationship between the 4 seating position of persons and the lighting conditions 5 under which they were working. 6 "Where any external body, for example, Environmental 7 Health was engaged with the company, I dealt with them. 8 "The insurance people would come in and we would ask 9 questions. 10 "We also received regular fliers re impending 11 changes in legislation and we would make changes 12 accordingly. We also arranged for courses to be held 13 and training to be given." 14 Could I have on the screen, please, page 13105 and 15 perhaps the next page also. 16 "I was shown letters to P Goggins of Environmental 17 Services and Stockline Plastics Health and Safety 18 Programme Risk Assessment." 19 Is this a letter written by you, Mr Foard, dated 20 30th September 1997 -- 21 A. Yes. 22 Q. -- to Mr Goggins of Environmental Services, presumably 23 at the City Council, and we can read for ourselves what 24 you have said about risk assessments. 25 A. Yes. page 10 1 Q. Could I have 13107, please. 2 Is that the first page -- and you are welcome to see 3 the others if you wish -- the first page of the risk 4 assessment which was prepared at that time and was 5 referred to in the letter? 6 A. It would be the first page, yes. 7 Q. Thank you. 8 "This was a letter from me with risk assessment 9 appended sent to Mr Goggins on 30th September 1997. 10 This risk assessment was the only initial one we had 11 done and we would update them. There is nothing in the 12 risk assessment regarding the offices but it was 13 maybe added later. We definitely had a risk assessment 14 for the office staff." 15 Could I have 13110, please. 16 I will read the paragraph. 17 "I am described on this page as a safety 18 representative. This entailed liaising with the 19 Managing Director, Stewart McColl, to ensure that risk 20 assessments and continuous improvements were carried out 21 in the manner proscribed by the company bearing in mind 22 both its legal and moral obligations. We had meetings, 23 latterly at approximately 4-monthly intervals where we 24 would assess the current situation inside the Stockline 25 office and warehouse and then take any action that was page 11 1 required." 2 By that, Mr Foard, I assume you mean you would 3 assess the current situation both so far as the 4 Stockline employees who were working in the former mill 5 building as well as in the warehouse itself? 6 A. Inside the Stockline office and inside the Stockline 7 warehouse, yes. 8 Q. Thank you. 9 "The hazards in Stockline were identified using the 10 risk assessment in the document dated 30th September 11 1997. The estimation of risk would be calculated by 12 likelihood and severity. These were calculated in 13 conjunction with the Managing Director. I was asked 14 whether LPG had ever been identified as a hazard in 15 Stockline Plastics Limited. Other than the form of gas 16 bottles used to power one of the forklift trucks (see 17 the risk assessment for gas/electricity) Stockline did 18 not use LPG. 19 "I was asked to describe once risks were identified 20 how they were followed through. The follow through of 21 actions concerning any risks that we identified were 22 recorded in the minutes from the health and safety 23 meetings." 24 Could I have page 8929, please. Could I also beside 25 it have page 13121. page 12 1 "I was shown a photograph of a labelled pipe ..." 2 Is that the pipe shown in the photograph on the left 3 of the screen, Mr Foard? 4 A. That the photograph I was shown. 5 Q. "I am also referred to the minutes of the health and 6 safety meeting ..." 7 That is the document, is it, that is on the other 8 side of the screen, 13121? 9 A. That is picture of meeting number 2. There would 10 obviously be meeting number 1 as well. 11 Q. I think perhaps it is number 3. Could we have the next 12 page, please. Thank you. I will just read the 13 paragraph: 14 "I am also referred to the minutes of the health and 15 safety meeting 3, 27th June 1997 which described the 16 arranging of new safety signs for the stores area. 17 I was asked if I was ever tasked with labelling pipes. 18 Stockline only had a mains gas pipe running through its 19 building and this was colour coded beige/yellow to 20 identify its purpose. I did not ever label pipes. 21 Stockline had no LPG pipework in either the warehouse or 22 the office." 23 Is the page to the right of the screen now, 24 Mr Foard, the minute that you were, referring to? 25 A. I don't understand what you are referring to, what page 13 1 minute? I would be referring to minutes in general. 2 Minutes were taken after meetings. 3 Q. In paragraph 42 of your witness statement in the second 4 sentence you have said: 5 "I am also referred to the minutes of the health and 6 safety meeting 3, 27th June 1997, which described the 7 arranging of new safety signs for the stores area." 8 All that I am asking -- 9 A. Sorry, yes, yes. 10 Q. Is what now is on the screen the minute you are 11 referring to in that paragraph? 12 A. Yes. 13 Q. Thank you. 14 "We wouldn't have considered the risk assessment for 15 any risk in the course of ICL Tech's work as that would 16 be for them to assess. Nobody from Environmental Health 17 ever queried our risk assessment. 18 "The more recent risk assessment would have been in 19 the offices in the main building which came down on my 20 11th May. 21 "Their main supply from the gas company was 22 a yellow/beige pipe which ran through the main Stockline 23 premises and out the back of the premises. As far as 24 I'm aware it was the main supply to the building. I had 25 no involvement with the ovens. The ovens were used ICL page 14 1 Tech. I had no working with them. How they were 2 fuelled I don't know. 3 "In Stockline Plastics warehouse there was a no 4 smoking policy and any employees, if smoking, would have 5 to go outside. We were in the process of building 6 smoking shelters. 7 "Campbell Downie would not be in the office on 8 a daily basis. You would normally see him on a Friday 9 evening. He worked from home and was involved in 10 financial matters and projects for Group. 11 "I have been asked about a paragraph in a statement 12 which I provided to the police in which it was noted 13 that in the Stockline premises we had a couple of gas 14 leaks. I have no idea to what that refers as I have no 15 recollection of there being any gas leaks. 16 "I know that the main supply of gas into the main 17 building was metered in the Stockline building for some 18 reason. The pipeline ran along the Stockline building 19 and into the main mill building." 20 Is it the case, Mr Foard, that the arrangement for 21 the supply of gas into the Stockline building is the 22 same today as it was in May 2004 or has it changed in 23 any way? 24 A. No, the main meter is still in the Stockline warehouse. 25 Q. "As far as I am aware, mains gas may have fuelled one of page 15 1 the ovens in the building on the ground floor and also 2 the central heating in the building. 3 "There was a boiler in each side of the third floor 4 of the building and in the Stockline building we had 5 three radiant heaters in the stores." 6 We then turn to matters after the disaster. 7 "Initially, we could not get access to the Stockline 8 building but the police and those working on the site to 9 clear it would then stop work for an hour or so every 10 day to enable us to get plastic out of the warehouse 11 building to service other companies. 12 "DCI Darling who was on site asked me something 13 about a maintenance plan and I told him that the 14 Stockline risk assessments were kept beside me in the 15 office. 16 "I gave DCI Darling the maintenance plan from our 17 office in the warehouse building at either the end of 18 the first week following the disaster or in the second 19 week. He took it and sent me a copy. 20 "Of the staff which I had in Stockline Plastics, 21 Claire and Sheena, who lost her leg, are back working 22 with me on the office side. Robert Warren and James 23 Anderson are the only persons who came back to the 24 warehouse. None of the others returned to work." 25 Could I have document 11847, please. Could you blow page 16 1 up, please, the lower diagram on that plan. 2 Mr Foard, this is a plan which was prepared by 3 Strathclyde Fire Brigade before the disaster and it was 4 obviously for their own record purposes and 5 administration. I just want to read what you said in 6 paragraph 56 with that in front of you: 7 "I have assisted in showing what the layout was of 8 the offices. I can confirm the seating arrangements for 9 those who were on the second floor. Of our office staff 10 on the second floor, Tracey McErlane, Ann Trench, Tim 11 Smith and Annette Doyle all lost their lives. Nicole 12 and Stacey Eaglesham did not return to their jobs and 13 nor did Charlene Howarth. 14 "I confirm that the contents of this statement are 15 true." 16 Can you confirm, Mr Foard, that the layout of the 17 offices provided on this drawing is either correct or 18 not correct so far as you can recall at or about the 19 time of the disaster? 20 A. It's close but not accurate. 21 Q. I think we can see that if we take the bottom left-hand 22 corner, that was the south-west stairwell that we have 23 heard about for other reasons. If one came up 24 those stairs, across the little lobby one then came into 25 an open office. page 17 1 Was that a reception or something similar? 2 A. The first thing you enter would be a small reception 3 area. Where the cursor is at today's date, just to the 4 right of that would be the ICL Technical general office. 5 Q. Then was there a corridor with offices on either side 6 not necessarily exactly as shown here, roughly along the 7 centre of the floor from east to west? 8 A. It's close, yes. 9 Q. The persons you have mentioned in paragraph 56 of your 10 Inquiry statement, did they work in different offices on 11 either side of that corridor or where did they work? 12 A. If you move the cursor across to your right-hand side, 13 down -- that one -- that is a rough -- it's not an 14 accurate layout but it is a rough approximation of the 15 Stockline general office. Tracey, Annette, Tim and Ann 16 all worked in that place. 17 Q. Did you have an office on this floor? 18 A. If you go along there to the door out to the corridor, 19 that one there, (indicated) if you go straight across, 20 that's mine. 21 You have marked two offices. The single office, the 22 thing to the right-hand side of it was the general 23 meeting room. That was beside the ladies WC. 24 Q. So your office is where the letters "OFF" appear on the 25 plan. Where the letter ICG appear that was the meeting page 18 1 room? 2 A. Yes, sir. 3 Q. And then to the right is the WC? 4 A. Yes. 5 THE CHAIRMAN: Mr Foard, thank you very much. There may 6 be further questions from the Chairman or others perhaps 7 if you remain until you are released. 8 A. Sure. 9 MR MCBRIDE: My Lord, I have no questions for this witness, 10 thank you. 11 THE CHAIRMAN: That concludes your evidence. Thank you for 12 your evidence, Mr Foard. I gather you were 13 inconvenienced yesterday. It is just one of these 14 things. We did our best to get the programme going 15 smoothly but we were slightly delayed. 16 THE WITNESS: It's no problem, sir. I work just round the 17 corner. It's quite close. 18 (The witness withdrew) 19 MR MARTIN: My Lord, the next witness is Mrs Lynda Mary 20 McColl. 21 LYNDA MARY MCCOLL (called) 22 Examined by MR MARTIN 23 Q. My Lord. 24 Mrs McColl, I hope you have in front of you a copy 25 of your Inquiry statement. page 19 1 A. I have one with me. 2 Q. Are you content that I read through the evidence on your 3 behalf? 4 A. Yes, please. 5 Q. Your name is Lynda Mary McColl and I shall read in the 6 first person: 7 "I am the widow of Stewart McColl and the mother of 8 Sheena McColl. 9 "I think it was 1966 when I met Stewart. At that 10 time he was working as a pattern maker for Caledonian 11 Foundry in Greenock. He worked there with his father. 12 "Stewart and I separated 13 years ago. However, we 13 would still go out socially, go for meals and go for 14 weekends away. The only difference was that we didn't 15 live together. We still got on. 16 "Stewart McColl's commencement of employment at 17 ICL Plastics Limited. 18 "About November 1967 Stewart left his father's 19 company because he wanted a change and went to work for 20 ICL Plastics at Dobbies Loan, Glasgow. Stewart got that 21 appointment through an advertisement in the newspaper. 22 At that time ICL Plastics used to apply industrial 23 coatings on to metals. An example being that they would 24 apply plastic on to ball bearings in order for them to 25 last longer. Stewart started there as a salesman, page 20 1 selling plastic sheetings to sign makers, glazers, 2 et cetera. I think ICL Plastics company had been formed 3 about four or five years before Stewart started. 4 "I think it was in the winter of 1968 that they 5 moved from Dobbies Loan to bigger premises at Grovepark 6 Mills, Maryhill. 7 "Start of employment. 8 "I joined the company in the summer of 1969. My job 9 was to do whatever was required. I would answer 10 telephones, clean the offices, do the wages and went to 11 the bank. I did these jobs because it saved us 12 employing someone to do it. Lorna Downie also did this. 13 "At that time the Chairman was Campbell Downie who 14 was also employed in Grovepark Mills together with his 15 wife, Lorna Downie, the engineer Iain MacDonald, Stewart 16 and myself. A man was later employed, I cannot remember 17 his name, as a sawyer. I presume that they must also 18 have employed someone to do the plastic coating but 19 I can't remember. 20 "Originally Stewart and I lived in Ayrshire and in 21 1969 we moved to Glasgow and I did more hours because it 22 was less travelling. 23 "In 1972 when Sheena was born I started to do fewer 24 hours. Sometimes I worked at home doing paperwork. 25 When Sheena was about six years old and at primary page 21 1 school, I worked school hours. 2 "When Sheena was about 13 years old and was at 3 secondary school I became Credit Controller for the 4 company. It was a job that just happened. It basically 5 involved collecting bad debt. I worked until about 6 3.00 pm, 5 days a week. 7 "Prior to the tragedy I was working three times 8 a week. 9 "My husband Stewart progressed throughout the years 10 in the company until he became Managing Director of 11 Stockline Plastics, ICL Tech, Norplast, Brisbay and 12 Easter Road Plastics in Edinburgh but is only actually 13 only a director of the last three, as there is an 14 on-site MD for those three companies. 15 "As far as I'm aware, Stewart was a shareholder in 16 Stockline Plastics Limited and ICL Plastics Limited 17 Group but I don't know what his stake was in the 18 company. 19 "Company structure. 20 "I've not got a clue about the dates but 21 ICL Plastics Limited became the parent company and took 22 over other companies. 23 "Stockline Plastics. 24 "While in Grovepark Mills we started the company 25 Stockline Plastics to sell raw materials. page 22 1 "ICL Technical Plastics. 2 "ICL Technical Plastics was also formed. I'm not 3 sure if this happened at Dobbies Loan or Grovepark 4 Mills. It may well have been at Dobbies Loan because 5 I remember that when we moved to Grovepark Mills we took 6 a lot of machinery and had to move this during the night 7 because of the machinery on the roads. 8 "ICL Technical Plastics was formed because we were 9 becoming more involved than just industrial coatings and 10 linings. We became more involved in the manufacturing 11 of products such as riot shields, machine guards for 12 industry, vacuum formed goods, such as making overhead 13 luggage cupboards are for British Aerospace. 14 ICL Plastics then became more of a figurehead." 15 The evidence has suggested, Mrs McColl, that ICL 16 Technical Plastics, along with the other companies, was 17 actually formed as a subsidiary of ICL Plastics in 1973 18 which would be after the enterprise moved to Grovepark 19 Mills. 20 I realise that it is difficult for you to recollect 21 exactly what the dates were but is that a possibility? 22 A. That is a possibility, that the manufacturing side 23 became more prevalent when we moved to larger premises. 24 Q. "Frank retired or semi-retired a good few months, maybe 25 2004, before the tragedy. page 23 1 "Plastics W Graham. 2 "We bought part of Plastics W Graham which is based 3 in Dundee. That company is involved in the selling of 4 products and engraving safety signs for companies such 5 as Shell. 6 "Norplast. 7 "We purchased Norplast in Newcastle. That company 8 is involved in the selling of plastic sheeting. 9 "Easter Road Plastics. 10 "We formed Easter Road Plastics in Edinburgh. We 11 did that because we needed an outlet in the east coast. 12 At the start of that company we started selling raw 13 materials from there but we later expanded to also 14 selling vinyl signs and lettering for removable signs. 15 "Brisbay. 16 "We also bought Brisbay in Newcastle. They 17 manufacture industrial plastic products such as safety 18 guards for machinery. 19 "Stewart McColl's position in companies. 20 "I remember that just before Stewart was 30 years of 21 age he was made a Director of Stockline Plastics. 22 "Stewart later became a Director of Plastics W 23 Graham, Easter Road Plastics, Norplast and Brisbay. I 24 think about three or four years ago he became a Director 25 of ICL Tech. page 24 1 "I know that he was a shareholder of ICL Plastics 2 but I am not sure if he was a Director of ICL Plastics. 3 I am not sure of the number of shares he held. 4 "Control by ICL Plastics Limited. 5 "I am not sure when ICL Plastics became the holding 6 company." 7 But as we have just discussed, Mrs McColl, I think 8 that occurred in 1973. 9 "In my opinion, each company was run on a day-to-day 10 basis on its own but overall control was done by 11 ICL Plastics. 12 "It controlled the reins of the subsidiary 13 companies. ICL Plastics Limited authorised the wage 14 rises for the other companies, or the purchasing of 15 major expenditure or a car. It kept a very tight rein 16 of the other companies' finances. My understanding is 17 that the Chairman, Campbell Downie, ultimately made all 18 the decisions. 19 "Latterly, Campbell Downie worked from home. I am 20 not sure when he started working form home, certainly 21 more recently than 10 years ago. He still came in. 22 I would only occasionally see him because I used to 23 finish work about 3.00 pm. Campbell used to come in 24 later in the day to speak to the directors of the 25 other companies. I would only really know that he was page 25 1 in because I would see his car in the car park. There 2 would be no real reason for me to go and see him. 3 "I read in the newspapers immediately after the 4 tragedy that Campbell Downie had semi-retired. That was 5 a real surprise to me and the first I had heard of it 6 and I had known him for about 31 years. He wasn't 7 semi-retired. The only difference was that he worked 8 from home. I knew that because Stewart used to tell me 9 that he was going up to see Campbell to discuss 10 something and that they would sometimes discuss it over 11 a meal or go to the pub. 12 "Lorna Downie's role was that of Company Secretary. 13 She dealt with personnel, such as the hiring and firing 14 of staff. I don't think ICL Plastics dealt with the 15 firing of staff, I think it was down to each individual 16 company. 17 "Date of tragedy. 18 "I did not smell any unusual smells on the Monday. 19 I am very observant with smells and I certainly didn't 20 smell anything untoward. I was not at work on Tuesday. 21 "Health and safety. 22 "I am not sure who was responsible for the health 23 and safety for each company. As far as I know there was 24 someone in each company who was responsible. In 25 Stockline it was either Stewart or Colin Foard. At ICL page 26 1 Tech, I think it was Frank Stott when he was there and 2 then Stewart took over health and safety when he took 3 over Frank's role. I don't think ICL Plastics was 4 involved in the health and safety because their staff 5 were only in the office floor. 6 "Health and safety was paramount. You wouldn't dare 7 leave anything lying about. If you left a handbag on 8 the floor, then Stewart would say, 'Get that bloody bag 9 off the floor'. You would then have to put it in 10 a drawer. If stationery was delivered and left in 11 a corridor beside a fire exit then Stewart would insist 12 that it was moved immediately and if someone said they 13 were going for a tea break, he would insist it was done 14 straight away. If you were not using a kettle, then 15 Stewart would insist that you unplugged it. 16 "I don't know much about the health and safety in 17 the factory because only went down are occasionally to 18 speak to a member of staff who I had been unable to get 19 by telephone. 20 "I do not know if Campbell Downie was involved in 21 health and safety. 22 "I did not attend any meetings such as health and 23 safety meetings. I had no reason to attend as my job 24 involved chasing up unpaid bills. 25 "I don't know anything about risk assessments. page 27 1 "Basement. 2 "I was last in the basement about 30 years ago 3 because at that time the sawyer had a saw down there and 4 I was going down to speak to him. 5 "Changes to building. 6 "In my opinion the car park was never raised. The 7 only change in the car park was that we cleared up an 8 area next to the existing car park and made a secondary 9 car park. 10 "From my recollection, I don't remember any outside 11 contractor coming in and re-laying the car park or 12 putting tarmacadam down. If any maintenance was 13 required, it would simply be hired. About four or five 14 years ago, a person came in to ask if we needed the car 15 park re-laid and it was just a cold call." 16 Mrs McColl, again, as a result of other evidence 17 that has been put before the Inquiry, it does appear to 18 be the case that there is evidence which suggests that 19 in about the early 1970s the level of the car park was 20 raised. You may have no recollection of that, but is it 21 possible that it did occur and you simply cannot 22 remember? 23 A. I have no recollection of it occurring. 24 Q. But is it possible it did occur? 25 A. It's possible. page 28 1 Q. "LPG tank. 2 "I know that the LPG tank was not there when we took 3 over Grovepark Mills. I know that because it was very 4 basic when we arrived and I cannot think that the 5 previous company, who were a paper mill factory, would 6 have wanted an LPG tank. 7 "I do remember the LPG tank. It was inside the 8 front gate. I remember that it had a notice on it like 9 'don't smoke'. I also remember that it had a barrier 10 around it. I did not have anything to do with the LPG 11 tank. 12 "I have no knowledge of any proposals to dig up the 13 pipework for the LPG tank. 14 "I have no knowledge of any flooding. 15 "I confirm that the contents of this statement are 16 true." 17 Mrs McColl, thank you for your evidence. If I could 18 ask you to remain, as the Chairman and others may have 19 further questions for you. Thank you. 20 THE CHAIRMAN: I think there are no questions for you, 21 Mrs McColl; so thank you very much for your evidence and 22 you have the sympathy of the Inquiry for your loss. 23 (The witness withdrew) 24 THE CHAIRMAN: Mr Martin? 25 MR MARTIN: My Lord, that concludes the witnesses to be led page 29 1 today. As my Lord will recall, Mr Andrew Stott who has 2 been called as a witness is not available this week but 3 will be called first thing on Tuesday and Dr Stuart 4 Hawksworth, who speaks to the investigation and 5 identification of the causes of the disaster will be the 6 second witness on Tuesday and the final witness in 7 Phase 1 of the Inquiry. 8 So, my Lord, at this stage I would invite your 9 Lordship to adjourn the Inquiry until Tuesday morning 10 recognising that, of course, we are about to have the 11 site inspection. 12 THE CHAIRMAN: Shall we assemble for the inspection at just 13 after 11.30, please, outside. 14 MR MARTIN: May I suggest, my Lord -- 15 THE CHAIRMAN: Mr Martin, could you just indicate exactly 16 what sequence we should follow. 17 MR MARTIN: I was going to suggest my Lord, that parties 18 assemble in Grovepark Mills, which is of course facing 19 the position where the gate to the mills formerly 20 existed and perhaps we can then view various features 21 that are still visible on the ground. 22 I suggest that we then move round to the east side 23 of the former mill building, which will involve going 24 through Gael's car park and looking back across the site 25 east to west. I then suggest that we leave Grovepark page 30 1 Place and go up into Grovepark Street and perhaps view 2 what was the back or the site of the back of the 3 Grovepark Mills from Grovepark Street the position of 4 the prefabricated or at least the portal building 5 fabrication shop and other features that we saw in 6 historical photographs and then go further east to the 7 location of the Stockline building. I understand that 8 arrangements have been made for us to go into that 9 building and perhaps see how one would have gone through 10 there into the former mills. 11 THE CHAIRMAN: I gather there is a difficulty in relation to 12 the Stockline building because things are going on in 13 there and I think the proposal there is that just the 14 Inquiry team go in there. 15 MR MARTIN: I think there is no difficulty about that, but 16 it is at least to give some indication of what exists 17 inside. 18 THE CHAIRMAN: Is everybody happy with that? Are there any 19 other points that counsel wish to make? We will start 20 just after 11.30. 21 (11.18 am) 22 (Adjourned for site inspection) 23 (Adjourned until 10.30 am, Tuesday 22nd July) 24 25