Employees evacuated following incident at Stryker plant in Carrigtwohill
Workers outside the Stryker plant in Tullagreen, Carrigtwohill on Tuesday. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
An investigation is underway following an incident at a Stryker plant in Carrigtwohill on Tuesday in which all staff were evacuated.
It is understood smoke was seen coming from the rooftop of the Tullagreen plant after 9am this morning. However, it is understood there was no fire at the premises.
It comes as a man is still recovering after receiving serious burn injuries in an incident at the company’s Anngrove plant in Carrigtwohill a week ago. The 41-year-old man suffered burn and blast injuries in a mini explosion as he and another worked on the roof of the building.
During Tuesday's incident, Cork County Fire Service and gardaí were called to the scene at around 9.30am.
A spokeswoman for the Health and Safety Authority confirmed it was aware of the incident and is investigating.
A spokesman for Cork County Council said: “Cork County Council’s Midleton and Cobh Fire Brigades responded and the fire was quickly brought under control. The building was evacuated and there are no reports of injuries.”
Gardaí said the incident had not been escalated into a major emergency.
SIPTU members employed at the Stryker plants in Carrigtwohill have called for a full safety audit of the company's facilities in the wake of this morning's evacuation and last week's incident.
“Our members are seriously concerned about their safety and want to see immediate action taken by the employer and the Health and Safety Authority to ensure the company’s obligations to provide a safe working environment are being fully met," said SIPTU Sector Organiser Neil McGowan.
“There are three Labour Court recommendations stating the company should engage with SIPTU on these sites and it is no longer tenable for it to continue to refuse to deal with the chosen representatives of its staff.”
SIPTU Manufacturing Division Organiser Greg Ennis said his organisation had previously written to senior management about workers' health and safety concerns about at the Stryker sites in Carrigtwohill.
“Regrettably, Stryker management in Carrigtwohill have refused to even recognise our correspondence, let alone respond to it positively," he said.
"This is in contrast to our positive relationship with Stryker management at their plants in Limerick and Mallow.”
A spokesperson for Stryker told the that the Tullagreen facility was evacuated this morning "in response to the activation of a fire alarm."
"All employees were safely evacuated as per our safety procedures, and local emergency services were notified and attended the facility," the spokesperson said.
"Out of an abundance of caution, the local authorities are conducting further investigations and we have sent employees home for the remainder of their shift."
The spokesperson added that Stryker is "committed to a safe and healthy work environment" at all of its facilities.
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