Engineered Stone Silicosis

The Growing Threat of Silicosis from Engineered Stone: A Call to Action 

While popular for its durability and aesthetic appeal, this modern material harbours hidden dangers that have drawn increasing concern from medical professionals, government officials, and workers’ rights advocates. 

The Dangers of Engineered Stone 

Engineered stone, commonly used in kitchen and bathroom renovations, is comprised of crushed quartz bound with resins. While it offers a sleek, durable surface, it also contains up to 90% silica—a substance known to cause silicosis when inhaled as dust.  

When workers cut or grind these materials, especially in dry conditions without adequate safety measures, they release fine silica dust into the air. This respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is easily inhaled, and over time, it can accumulate in the lungs, causing inflammation, scarring, and, eventually, silicosis. 

The disease is particularly insidious because its symptoms often resemble other respiratory conditions like sarcoidosis, leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment. Silicosis is irreversible, and in many cases, it progresses rapidly, leading to severe disability and even death. 

Workers who polish and grind engineered stone are often at higher risk of silicosis than those who only cut it because polishing and grinding can create large amounts of very fine respirable crystalline silica dust that is more easily inhaled deep into the lungs. 

Key reasons include: 

• Grinding and polishing abrade the surface continuously, producing clouds of fine dust rather than larger chips or fragments. 

• The dust created is often respirable—small enough to bypass the nose and throat and lodge in the deepest parts of the lungs. 

• Engineered stone contains very high silica content, often much higher than natural stone, so even short periods of dust exposure can involve substantial silica doses. 

• Polishing and grinding may be done close to the worker’s breathing zone, especially during finishing, edge work, sink cut-outs, repairs, and detail work. 

• These tasks can involve longer duration exposure because workers may spend extended time smoothing surfaces or edges. 

• Cutting may sometimes be done with wet saws, enclosed equipment, or local extraction, whereas polishing and grinding are more likely to be done with handheld tools where dust control is harder. 

• Fine silica dust can remain airborne for a long time, so polishing and grinding can also expose nearby workers even after the task has stopped. 

In short: cutting engineered stone is hazardous, but polishing and grinding can be even more dangerous because they generate finer, more inhalable silica dust, often very close to the worker and for longer periods. 

 

A Global and National Concern 

Silicosis linked to engineered stone has been recognised globally as a growing health crisis. Australia, for example, has taken the unprecedented step of banning the material after a surge in cases among young workers. A report by Safe Work Australia revealed that engineered stone workers were disproportionately affected, with many being diagnosed in their early 30s. The country decided to ban the material after it was found that one in four stonemasons had developed incurable silicosis. 

In the United States, California has also implemented emergency regulations to protect workers, particularly targeting the Latino migrant community, who have been disproportionately affected. The situation is alarming in Israel, Italy, Spain, and Belgium, where cases have risen since the material gained popularity. 

In the UK, the first cases of engineered stone-induced silicosis were reported in 2023. Dr. Johanna Feary, a leading respiratory consultant, has expressed significant concern, stating, “We’ve been anticipating that we would start seeing cases in the UK at some point. That moment has arrived now.” The affected workers, primarily migrants working in small, inadequately regulated workshops, were exposed to silica dust without sufficient protective measures. 

 

Calls for Urgent Action 

 

Despite the rising number of cases and the clear dangers associated with engineered stone, the UK government has yet to implement stricter regulations or consider a ban. In a recent debate in the House of Lords, Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle questioned the government’s apparent complacency, highlighting that silicosis is now being recognised as a significant risk among young workers, with cases increasing globally. 

 

Viscount Younger of Leckie, responding on behalf of the government, acknowledged the risks but emphasised existing regulations under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH). However, he also admitted that the government was not considering making silicosis a notifiable disease, which would require mandatory reporting of cases, making it easier to track and manage the disease. 

 

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has also weighed in on the issue, with health and safety policy officer Shelly Asquith criticising the current UK workplace exposure limit for silica as “far too high.”  

 

She has called for the limit to be halved, which, according to research, could prevent hundreds of deaths in the coming decades. “The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) should take urgent action to reduce the limit, and they should review the evidence presented by doctors calling for a ban,” Asquith said. 

 

Industry Response and the Way Forward 

 

While some in the industry, such as Andy Phillips of the Worktop Fabricators Federation, argue that a ban is unnecessary if proper safety controls are enforced, there is widespread agreement that the current situation is untenable. The need for stricter regulation, better enforcement, and increased awareness among workers is paramount. 

 

Daniel Poet from Thompsons Solicitors who represents people with industrial diseases such as Silicosis, said: “The UK must learn from other countries' experiences and take proactive steps to protect its workforce. This includes making silicosis a notifiable disease, implementing more stringent exposure limits, and considering a ban on engineered stone, especially in environments where safety cannot be guaranteed.   

“The costs of inaction are too high, as the growing number of young, otherwise healthy workers suffering from this preventable disease tragically demonstrates.” 

 

Silicosis from engineered stone is a clear and present danger that demands immediate attention. With the right measures, many lives can be saved, and the health of countless workers can be preserved.