High Speed Two (HS2)

HS2, or High Speed 2, is a high-speed railway project currently under construction in the UK. It aims to connect London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds, significantly reducing travel times, increasing capacity, and boosting economic growth. The project is divided into multiple phases: Phase 1 from London to Birmingham, Phase 2a from Birmingham to Crewe, and Phase 2b from Crewe to Manchester and West Midlands to Leeds.

Recently, there have been notable workplace accidents associated with the HS2 project. One such incident involved Scott McClurg, an engineer who suffered life-changing injuries after falling 40 feet at a construction site in West Hyde, Hertfordshire, in November 2022. McClurg sustained severe injuries, including fractures to his skull, face, hip, pelvis, and wrists. Despite his employer, EMC Elite Engineering Services, being fined over £50,000 for safety breaches, McClurg is still fighting for compensation and now walks on crutches, enduring constant pain.

Another tragic incident occurred at an HS2 construction site in Solihull on April 28, 2023, where a man in his early 70s died following an industrial accident. Emergency services were called to the scene, and the Health and Safety Executive, along with West Midlands Police, are investigating the incident. These accidents underscore the critical need for stringent safety measures on large-scale construction projects like HS2.