The man, who is in his early 50s and wishes to remain anonymous, began to experience symptoms including breathlessness, which started to impact his day-to-day activities and his ability to play sport, and which led to the discovery that he was suffering from the condition. 

Following his diagnosis, he turned to his union Unite for help, and later instructed Thompsons Solicitors – which last month led a major event in Westminster calling for urgent action to tackle Britain’s growing silica exposure crisis – to investigate the circumstances of his exposure. 

Having started working for his employer, based in West Yorkshire, in the early 1990s, his day-to-day role involved drilling, dressing, and cutting sandstone - generating large clouds of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust that filled the air across the quarry and in the cutting sheds. 

Despite the working conditions, he says that during this period no respiratory protective equipment (PPE) was provided, and workers were regularly exposed to dust without any form of protection. Around 20 to 30 employees worked in the cutting shed using multiple machines to shape the stone, allowing fine dust to spread freely through the workspace. 

It was not until the late 2000s, almost two decades into his employment, that PPE was introduced. By then, however, the long-term damage had already been done. 

Medical evidence confirmed that the worker’s condition was linked to prolonged occupational exposure to RCS. He now suffers from persistent breathlessness and fatigue, and experts have warned that his illness is permanent and likely to worsen over time. There is also a significant risk of him developing complicated silicosis or occupational COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) by his early sixties. 

In addition, medical experts reported measurable risks of lung cancer, non-malignant respiratory disease, and renal disease, estimating that these conditions could reduce his life expectancy by five to six years and increase his mortality risk by up to 16%. 

The condition has had a devastating impact on his health and his ability to work, forcing him to adapt to a much more restricted lifestyle after years of heavy manual labour. 

With Thompsons’ support, the case was settled out of court, without admission of liability, just five days before trial. The claimant received £100,000 in compensation, reflecting the serious and lasting impact of his exposure on his health and quality of life. 

Alison Gregory, an industrial disease expert at Thompsons, based in Leeds, who represented the worker throughout his legal claim, said: “Our client spent nearly two decades working in conditions that we argue were hazardous to his health, without being given the basic protection that could have prevented this outcome."  

Alison added that while Silicosis is an entirely preventable disease, the consequences of exposure are devastating. “Employers have a duty to safeguard their workers, and this case highlights the long-term consequences when those duties are ignored. We’re pleased to have helped our client secure the compensation he deserves and to have brought some measure of justice after years of unprotected exposure.” 

Last month, Thompsons Solicitors chaired a joint meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Occupational Safety and Health in Westminster, bringing together politicians, medical experts, trade unions, and legal specialists to call for a ban on engineered stone and tougher enforcement of existing workplace safety laws. 

It is estimated that around 1,000 people die of silicosis in the UK every year, with thousands more suffering its debilitating effects caused by occupational silica exposure. Yet, official reporting remains dangerously low. The hazard affects a wide range of industries, including construction, stoneworking, quarrying, brickmaking, foundries, pottery, and even dental laboratories. 

This case adds to Thompsons’ growing portfolio of silica exposure claims across multiple industries and underlines the firm’s commitment to fighting for workers affected by preventable occupational diseases and campaigning for stronger protections in the workplace. 

Unite national officer for construction Jason Poulter said: “Silicosis is a devastating disease which wrecks lives, what is worse it is entirely preventable. The gung-ho attitude of employers to exposing workers to inhaling silica dust must end." 

“Unite is entirely committed to ensuring that all workers are safe and not exposed to silica dust or other toxic substances. When our members are exposed to substances which damage their health due to employers failing to take adequate measures, the union will do everything legally possible to secure them justice.”