Worker remains on life support after mini-explosion at Stryker plant in Cork

Two men were injured – one critically – in an apparent mini-explosion and fire as they worked on equipment on the roof of the plant just after 1pm on Tuesday

Stryker's Anngrove plant in Carrigtwohill where the incident occurred. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Trade union Siptu has sought an urgent meeting with Stryker on health and safety issues as a worker continues to fight for his life after a mini-explosion at one of its plants in Cork.

The news came this lunchtime just hours after the injured man's family asked people to pray for him.

Siptu, which raised health and safety concerns about the operations at Stryker's three plants in East Cork in 2021, said it is now seeking an urgent meeting with the company in the wake of Tuesday’s incident at the company’s Anngrove facility in the IDA business park in Carrigtwohill.

Two men were injured – one critically – in an apparent mini-explosion and fire as they worked on equipment on the roof of the plant just after 1pm.

The most seriously injured man, aged 41, suffered extensive burn and blast injuries to his head and upper body.

He was rushed to Cork University Hospital (CUH) where he underwent emergency surgery and was placed on life support.

The second man was also taken to CUH for treatment for less serious and non-life-threatening burn injuries.

The Health and Safety Authority is investigating the incident.

Siptu said its members have expressed their deepest sympathies to the two men involved, and that their thoughts are with them and their families.

“The two workers and their families are uppermost in our thoughts and all Siptu members at the plant wish them a speedy and full recovery from the serious injuries they suffered,” Siptu sector organiser, Neil McGowan said.

“We will await the outcome of an investigation by the Health and Safety Authority before we comment further on the incident.

“We have today written to management seeking an urgent meeting to discuss the safety concerns of workers on the three Stryker sites in Carrigtwohill.

“We want to ensure that the best safety systems possible are in place across the sites.” 

Siptu organiser, Allen Dillon, pointed out that Siptu members have previously raised health and safety concerns linked to Styker’s operations in East Cork and that the union has been seeking engagement with management on these matters since 2019.

“We want to take a collaborative approach in order to ensure the safest possible environment for all workers on the Cork sites,” he said.

Stryker's Anngrove plant was in shutdown following the incident as an investigation by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) got underway

In a statement issued this morning on behalf of the family of the critically injured man, a spokesperson said his family received "the worst news yesterday afternoon" after the incident.

"He is a kind, mild-mannered family man, 41 years old, with a loving wife, a baby, a young child, and a stepson who are in his world." the statement said.

"He was living the perfect life until 1pm yesterday.

"His devoted parents, wife and siblings are devastated and keeping vigil at the hospital.

"He was in surgery until late last night and is on life support.

"Our extended family are heartbroken and feel helpless at the shocking turn of events."

In the statement to the Neil Prendeville Show on Cork's RedFM, the spokesperson said they wanted to portray the human side to the industrial incident in the hope that people would keep the injured man in their thoughts and prayers, and that he will pull through.

A second man who was injured in the incident was taken to hospital with less serious injuries.

Stryker issued a short statement confirming the incident, that two people had been injured and that it was cooperating with investigations, but it declined to answer a raft of questions about the exact nature of the incident, or whether it was linked to previous health and safety concerns raised by workers at the company.

“We’re committed to a safe and healthy work environment at all of our facilities. We’re working closely with the authorities to investigate the incident,” it said.

The Irish Examiner first reported in November 2021 how a group of workers had made a protected disclosure to the HSA about a raft of health and safety concerns in relation to operations at the three Stryker plants in East Cork.

The plant was in shutdown following the incident as an investigation by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) got underway.

While the exact nature of the incident remains under investigation, it is understood it occurred while a person was working on the roof area of the plant.

Emergency services including the Cork County Fire Service, gardaí, and the National Ambulance Service responded to the scene after the incident at around 1.15pm yesterday afternoon. The HSA confirmed it has launched an investigation into the incident.

The alarm was raised just after 1pm on Tuesday when Midleton fire brigade was asked to help with “a medical emergency” at Stryker’s Anngrove plant at the IDA Business Park in Carrigtwohill.

A spokesman for the county fire service said it was reported that one person had suffered burns while working on equipment which was located on the roof and that the fire was out.

However, in a statement later, Stryker confirmed that two people had been injured in the incident which it said was managed by the company’s emergency response team with support from local emergency services.

'Safely evacuated'

“Two people were transferred to the hospital and all others were safely evacuated from the facility,” a spokesperson said.

“We’re committed to a safe and healthy work environment at all of our facilities. We’re working closely with the authorities to investigate the incident.” 

It declined to answer a range of specific questions about the nature of the incident.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing thick black smoke pouring from the roof and hearing people screaming in pain. The plant was evacuated safely.

One fire appliance and an emergency tender responded. The fire crew remained at the scene for several hours.

Cork East Sinn Féin TD Pat Buckley, who helped to raise workers’ concerns about a raft of health and safety issues at Stryker’s plants in East Cork less than two years ago, said the stakes could not be higher after the two suffered suspected titanium burns in what one source described as a mini-explosion on the roof of one of the firm's Carrigtwohill plants on Tuesday.

“Lives are at stake here now,” Mr Buckley said.

“The assurances we got from the company and the HSA two years ago that everything was fine can no longer be accepted. 

We need a full and detailed health and safety review now. Lives depend on it.” 

It emerged that six workers from across the company’s three East Cork sites, Tullagreen, Springhill, and Anngrove, had been raising health and safety concerns with the HSA for the previous three years.

The Irish Examiner revealed in November 2021 how the staff made a protected disclosure to the HSA in 2020 which included references to gas leaks, argon leaks, solvents escaping, several hospitalisations, plant evacuations, broken fire alarms, and faulty equipment. 

"The standards are on the floor," one of the whistleblowers told the Irish Examiner.

"There's always a perception of production before everything else and it’s writ large, production before health.” 

Stryker at the time said it “absolutely rejects” any such allegations and insisted that it operates the highest level of health and safety processes and equipment rightly expected in any global medical device company.