Most Eurenco employees are on vacation at the beginning of August, it is often on their vacation spots that they learned of the explosion on the Bergerac site which manufactures gunpowder and explosives . Eight people were injured, one seriously. She was airlifted to Bordeaux. In a press release, the CGT expresses to the victims all its support and solidarity. The union also denounces “dangerous working conditions”
Working conditions are “dangerous” according to the CGT
The union denounces in its press release “the obsolescence of the premises” of Eurenco. The union also tells France Bleu Périgord that there has been deterioration of working conditions and a lack of investment on the Bergerac site but also on the Sorgues site in the Vaucluse. The CGT believes that the management does not finance up to the needs to maintain good quality production tools. The union says it alerted for many months on these problems affecting the two Eurenco sites in France.
Two investigations opened to determine the causes
Two investigations were opened to determine the causes of this explosion. We know that it occurred shortly before 2 p.m. this Wednesday in building 75 during a maintenance operation within Manuco, a subsidiary of Eurenco in the presence, according to the CEO, “employees of Manuco and employees of an external company present for maintenance, […] in particular to change equipment”. The first to respond to the explosion were employees trained in risks, POI teams (internal operational plan) who take turns in the event of critical situations.
Maintenance operations are common during the summer with subcontracting companies which intervene for very specific interventions, explains the CGT. The union asserts that the employees of these external companies must be trained and informed risks.
A rising accident rate according to the CGT
Still according to the CGT, the number of accidents has increased over the past three years. The union says that occupational medicine launched an alert a few months ago on psychosocial risks on the Sorgues site. There, less than a week ago, a fire started outside the Eurenco site, it was fixed before reaching the premises.
Manuco was to merge with Eurenco in the fall according to the CGT
Manuco was acquired last year by Eurenco to secure its supply of nitrocellulose, a component used for gunpowder and explosives. According to the CGT, Manuco was to be absorbed in the fall. This means that Manuco employees must become Eurenco employees.