Tánaiste: Stryker has 'absolute need' to ensure workers' safety  

Micheál Martin described the accident as 'very worrying' and said the Health and Safety Authority has to independently investigate what happened

Two men suffered injuries in a mini explosion as they worked on the roof of the Anngrove plant on Tuesday. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said while Stryker may be a considerable employer in the Cork region, it must still ensure every worker in it complexes is safe.

His comments come as a father of three young children continues to fight for his life following an industrial accident at a Stryker plant in Cork. 

The 41-year-old and another man suffered burn and blast injuries in a mini explosion as they worked on the roof of the Anngrove plant just after 1pm on Tuesday.

Speaking in the Dáil, Micheál Martin described the accident as “very worrying”. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has to independently examine and investigate what happened, he said.

"Stryker is a considerable employer of up to 6,000 people in that area. However, that is a separate issue from the absolute need to have safety for every employee within the complex," Mr Martin said.

Sinn Féin TD for East Cork Pat Buckley told the Dáil he received a “very large” protected disclosure relating to Stryker in 2020 which he forwarded to the HSA and to Leo Varadkar, then tánaiste and enterprise minister.

But my heart sank, my stomach sank when I heard [about] that accident, knowing that all this information was with the HSA and in the department and obviously these things weren't carried out.

“Titanium dust, titanium fires, that's what we're dealing with here. I went to the County Fire Service; they don't have the capabilities of putting out these titanium fires," he said.

He called for a full safety review going back as far as 2019.

Minister for State at the Department of Enterprise Neale Richmond said Stryker is working with the HSA.

"I can assure you that this investigation will be thorough and the HSA will take whatever action they deem to be appropriate."