Investigation into death of man at Stryker plant still ongoing after two years
Seán McCárthaigh
An investigation by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) into the death of a contract worker at a Cork factory over two years ago is still ongoing, an inquest has heard.
John Murphy (41), a married father from Condonstown, Watergrasshill, Co Cork, sustained third-degree burns across 75 per cent of his body after a suspected explosion at the US medical device manufacturer Stryker’s plant in Anngrove, Carrigtwohill, Co Cork on April 18th, 2023.
He died from his injuries almost two months later on June 9th, 2023, in the specialist burns unit in St James’s Hospital in Dublin where he had been transferred after originally being treated at Cork University Hospital for 24 hours.
Another work colleague of the deceased was also injured in the workplace accident.
Mr Murphy was working for a facilities management company, Apleona, on the roof of the Stryker factory at the time of the fatal incident.
He was able to make it down off the roof but became unresponsive a short time later and never regained consciousness before his death.
An inspector with the HSA, Frank Kearns, told a brief sitting of Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Wednesday that the circumstances of Mr Murphy’s death were still under investigation.
Asked by the coroner, Clare Keane, if there was a particular reason why the matter was still with the HSA, Mr Kearns said he was just aware that it was still under investigation but confirmed a file on the case would be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The HSA inspector noted the death had taken place in 2023 but added that such cases “do take a lot of time.”
Mr Kearns said he would ensure that Mr Murphy’s family, who did not attend the latest proceedings, would be notified of the outcome of the hearing.
Dr Keane granted the application by the HSA for a six-month adjournment of the inquest under Section 25 (1) of the Coroners Act as criminal proceedings are being considered.
In a newspaper interview earlier this year, the deceased’s family outlined how they were heartbroken at not knowing when they will get closure from his death.
Mr Murphy’s parents and siblings said no family should have to wait so long for answers over the death of a loved one following a workplace tragedy.
“We have no closure. That is all we want. We are two years waiting for answers. We don’t want to still be waiting for them at John’s third or fourth anniversaries,” said his mother, Eileen.
In March 2024, Mr Murphy’s family initiated High Court proceedings against Stryker Ireland Limited and Apleona Ireland Limited over his death.
A High Court judge also granted their application to have a legal representative attend an engineering inspection of the factory.
Meanwhile, trade union Siptu said “grave health and safety concerns” have been raised about Stryker’s operations in Cork following another fire at one of its facilities last week.
Siptu spokesperson, Neil McGowan, said the trade union was calling on the US company’s chief executive, Kevin Lobo, to intervene at the highest level to ensure that a meeting between local management and worker representatives took place.
Concerns have been expressed about claims that an automatic alarm system failed to sound following a fire at Stryker’s Tullagreen plant in the IDA Business Park in Carrigtwohill on August 6.
No injuries were sustained during the incident and all staff were safely evacuated from the building.
“This latest fire highlights a deeply troubling pattern over a number of years at the Stryker plants in Carrigtwohill,” said Mr McGowan.
The company, which began operations in Ireland in 1998, now employs 4,100 staff across six locations in Cork.
Siptu said its members have been raising health and safety concerns with Styrker about its plants in Carrigtwohill since 2019.
