Geomechanics.io

  • Free Tools
Sign UpLog In

Geomechanics.io

Geomechanics, Streamlined.

© 2026 Geomechanics.io. All rights reserved.

Geomechanics.io

CMRR-ioGEODB-ioHYDROGEO-ioQCDB-ioFree Tools & CalculatorsBlogLatest Industry News

Industries

MiningConstructionTunnelling

Company

Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyLinkedIn
    AllGeotechnicalMiningInfrastructureMaterialsHazardsEnvironmentalSoftwarePolicy
    Safety
    Projects

    Royston hydrogen gigafactory suspensions: CDM and safety lessons for project teams

    December 11, 2025|

    Reviewed by Tom Sullivan

    Royston hydrogen gigafactory suspensions: CDM and safety lessons for project teams

    First reported on New Civil Engineer

    30 Second Briefing

    Unions Unite and GMB have condemned contractor behaviour at the Royston hydrogen gigafactory site in Hertfordshire after around 30 construction workers were reportedly suspended for raising health and safety concerns. The workforce had complained about site safety conditions on the large industrial build, which is expected to house hydrogen production and storage plant, before being removed from site. The dispute raises immediate questions for principal contractor and client CDM duties, worker consultation processes, and the robustness of on-site reporting channels for safety-critical issues.

    Technical Brief

    • Early-phase civil works on hydrogen facilities still need design-stage hazard reviews for future process risks.
    • For hydrogen and other high-hazard industrial builds, robust anonymous reporting systems become a critical control.

    Our Take

    The related 11 December piece on Johnson Matthey’s £80m hydrogen gigafactory in Hertfordshire shows this suspension is occurring on a government-backed flagship clean‑energy project, so any prolonged labour dispute could ripple into wider UK hydrogen industrial policy timelines.

    With 575 safety‑tagged pieces in our database, worker treatment issues at high‑profile UK infrastructure sites like Royston are increasingly surfacing alongside technical delivery risks, signalling that labour relations are now a material programme‑level risk for major contractors and clients.

    Unite’s involvement at the hydrogen gigafactory mirrors its role in other UK infrastructure disputes in our coverage, suggesting that principal contractors and M&E specialists on complex energy projects should expect more structured union scrutiny of site safety regimes and grievance procedures.

    Geotechnical Software for Modern Teams

    Centralise site data, logs, and lab results with GEODB-io, CMRR-io, and HYDROGEO-io.

    No credit card required.

    • Save and export unlimited calculations
    • Advanced data visualisation
    • Generate professional PDF reports
    • Cloud storage for all your projects

    Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.

    Related Articles

    Implenia/Marti JV MehrSpur Zurich–Winterthur: design and risk notes for engineers
    Infrastructure
    in 7 months

    Implenia/Marti JV MehrSpur Zurich–Winterthur: design and risk notes for engineers

    Swiss Federal Railways has awarded an Implenia/Marti 50:50 joint venture five of six MehrSpur Zurich–Winterthur lots worth just under CHF 1.7 billion, including the 8.3 km Brüttener tunnel (Lot 240) with twin 10 m diameter single-track tubes and a 1 km spur to Zurich Airport. TBM excavation will start in August 2029, with a roughly ten-year construction phase using BIM for planning and execution and extensive special foundations, earthworks and embankments. Additional works cover full redevelopment of Dietlikon station, about 6 km of new track across Dietlikon and Wallisellen sections, multiple underpasses, bridges and the Neumühle railway bridge and Storchen underpass near Winterthur.

    Xihe on Tung Chung Line down-track: TBM turnback method and risks for tunnel engineers
    Infrastructure
    in 5 months

    Xihe on Tung Chung Line down-track: TBM turnback method and risks for tunnel engineers

    TBM Xihe, a 7.3m-diameter, 100m-long, 1,000-tonne Herrenknecht slurry machine, has completed the up-track drive to the future Tung Chung West Station and has begun boring the down-track tunnel towards Tung Chung Station for MTR’s Tung Chung Line Extension in Hong Kong. The Bouygues Travaux Publics–Dragages Hong Kong JV turned the TBM underground within the launch shaft using a push-pull method and self-propelled modular transporter, avoiding full disassembly and surface transport. About 1.3km of new twin-bore tunnels are being driven close to existing rail and urban structures, with commissioning targeted for 2029.

    Sydney Metro Stations Package West: design and delivery notes for engineers
    Infrastructure
    in 3 months

    Sydney Metro Stations Package West: design and delivery notes for engineers

    Gamuda Engineering has secured the Sydney Metro Stations Package West as principal contractor, covering design and construction of five new underground stations at Westmead, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock and The Bays on the 24km Sydney Metro West line between Greater Parramatta and the CBD. The scope includes deep station boxes, entrances and access points, full station fit-out and integration with surrounding precincts, with Laing O’Rourke and DT Infrastructure joining as MetroVista delivery partners. Site works are scheduled to start on Monday, 5 January 2026.

    Related Industries & Products

    Construction

    Quality control software for construction companies with material testing, batch tracking, and compliance management.

    Mining

    Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.

    QCDB-io

    Comprehensive quality control database for manufacturing, tunnelling, and civil construction with UCS testing, PSD analysis, and grout mix design management.