Silica Exposure at Work

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This article examines the risks associated with silica exposure and the growing impact it is having on workers. It also considers the implications for employers and those pushing for improved safety standards.

Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is a well-understood workplace hazard, particularly for those involved in industrial operations, site safety and compliance. It is present across a wide range of everyday processes and has long been subject to regulatory control.

What appears to be changing is not awareness of the hazard, but the pattern of illness now emerging. Increasingly, cases of silicosis are being identified in younger workers, often progressing more quickly than previously expected. Evidence presented at a recent All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) meeting on occupational safety and health, co-hosted by Thompsons Solicitors and the TUC, suggests that the issue lies not in recognising the risk, but in the ongoing challenge of consistently applying effective control measures across different environments and working practices.

How to Get in Contact 

To find out more about how we can help, you can speak with our Silicosis Lead, Dan Poet and his colleagues for further information. Call us on  0800 0224 224 or fill out the contact form on this page. 

 

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Why Silica Exposure Matters

Exposure to silica typically occurs during routine activities such as cutting, drilling, grinding or polishing materials that contain silica. The level of risk is influenced less by the presence of silica itself and more by how work is carried out and managed on site.

Evidence shared at the APPG highlighted that exposure levels can vary significantly depending on:

  • The silica content of the material
  • The duration and intensity of the task
  • How processes are designed and separated
  • The quality and maintenance of engineering controls
  • The consistency with which those controls are used

Engineered stone, often marketed as “quartz”, presents particular concern due to its high silica content, typically between 90 and 95 per cent. However, the risk is not limited to this material. Sectors such as construction, demolition, quarrying, stone masonry, ceramics, mining and sandblasting have long been associated with high exposure levels. Risks have also been identified in less obvious environments, including dental laboratories.

For those responsible for managing these risks, the issue is not a lack of understanding, but ensuring that controls remain effective as materials, processes and working arrangements continue to evolve.

New risks for workers cutting engineered stone

New guidance from the Health and Safety Executive has highlighted serious risks for workers cutting engineered stone. In particular, dry cutting can expose workers to much higher levels of harmful dust – up to five to ten times more than safer wet cutting methods. This dust can reach deep into the lungs and has been linked to life‑changing conditions including silicosis, COPD and lung cancer.

The HSE has made clear that dry cutting is no longer acceptable and that proper dust control measures must be in place. Where employers have failed to protect workers in this way, it may be possible to bring a compensation claim.

Health Implications & Considerations

Silicosis is a serious and irreversible lung condition caused by inhaling respirable crystalline silica. There is no cure, making prevention the only effective safeguard. Exposure is also linked to lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other long-term health conditions.

Clinicians speaking at the APPG raised particular concern about the rise of “accelerated” silicosis, especially in cases involving engineered stone. In these situations, severe disease can develop after relatively short periods of high exposure.

From an employer’s perspective, the significance is clear. Silicosis is a recognised occupational disease, bringing with it potential regulatory scrutiny, legal liability and long-term risk considerations.

Legal Framework and Control Measures

Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations, employers are required to prevent exposure to hazardous substances where possible, or otherwise ensure it is adequately controlled. For RCS, the current workplace exposure limit (WEL) is 0.1 mg/m³ over an eight-hour time-weighted average.

The established hierarchy of control applies:

  • Elimination
  • Substitution
  • Engineering controls
  • Administrative controls
  • Respiratory protective equipment (RPE)

From a compliance perspective, silica exposure is a well-defined risk, supported by clear guidance and established control methods. Where illness arises, scrutiny often focuses on how effectively those controls were selected, implemented, and maintained, and whether exposure was reduced as far as reasonably practicable in the circumstances.

The rise in industrial disease claims linked to silica exposure has also attracted increased attention within the legal sector. There is a growing view that stronger enforcement of existing rules may be required, and that, if this does not improve outcomes, more prescriptive measures may follow, including tighter restrictions on high-risk materials.

Exposure Limits in Context

Several experts noted that the UK workplace exposure limit is higher than those applied in other jurisdictions, including Australia, the United States, and parts of Europe, where limits of 0.05 mg/m³ or lower are in place.

While compliance with UK standards remains the legal requirement, international evidence suggests that harm can still occur below 0.1 mg/m³, particularly where exposure is frequent or prolonged. This highlights the importance of focusing on effective control measures rather than relying solely on numerical thresholds.

Practical Control in Real-World Settings

There is no shortage of established methods for reducing silica exposure:

  • Water suppression to control dust at source
  • On-tool extraction supported by effective local exhaust ventilation (LEV)
  • Enclosure, segregation and task redesign to limit airborne particles

However, evidence presented to the APPG suggests that the issue lies in the consistency of implementation. In some environments, particularly smaller operations or fragmented supply chains, controls are not always applied or maintained to the required standard. Examples include continued use of dry cutting, poorly specified or maintained LEV systems, and over-reliance on respiratory protection instead of engineering solutions.

These challenges are less about awareness and more about governance, resourcing and day-to-day oversight.

Silicosis Compensation Claims 

Silicosis claims are legal actions you can bring if you have developed silicosis due to prolonged exposure to silica dust, often in the workplace and commonly as a result of an employer’s negligence. Silicosis is a serious lung disease that can occur in industries such as construction, stone cutting and manufacturing. 

We help clients across England and Wales secure the compensation and support they need to manage their health and rebuild their lives. 

If you have been diagnosed with silicosis, or another condition caused by exposure to silica dust at work, Thompsons Solicitors can help. Our industrial disease lawyers have helped thousands of people secure compensation and support for work-related illnesses.

To find out more, you can visit our Silicosis claims page. You can also speak with our Silicosis Lead, Dan Poet and his colleagues for further information. Call us on  0800 0224 224 or visit our contact page to request a call back.

Our team of experts

Thompsons’ silicosis lead, Dan Poet, heads our expert team supporting workers and their families affected by silica exposure.

Meet the team

Silicosis: frequently asked questions 

What workers need to know about respirable crystalline silica (RCS) 

If you have breathing symptoms and have ever been exposed to silica dust through work, speak to your GP and explain your full work history. The below gives general information only and is not a diagnosis. Call 999 for severe breathing difficulty, chest pain or coughing up blood. 

Silicosis is an incurable occupational lung disease caused by breathing in fine particles of respirable crystalline silica (RCS). The particles can lodge deep in the lungs, causing inflammation and scarring that may reduce lung function. 

Silica occurs in stone, rock, sand and clay, including concrete and concrete blocks. Dust may be released by cutting, grinding, drilling, breaking, chasing, polishing or sweeping. Higher-risk work includes construction, scaffolding around dusty work, groundworking, stone and engineered-stone work, quarrying, brick making, foundries and potteries. 

No. Quartz is a common form of crystalline silica, and engineered stone can contain a high proportion of it, but many natural stones and construction products also contain silica. Risk depends on the material, the task, the concentration of airborne dust, exposure time and the controls used. 

Symptoms can include a persistent cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, fatigue, weight loss and swollen fingers. These symptoms can have many causes, so tell your GP about any work with stone, concrete, sand, bricks or dusty processes—even if the exposure was years ago. 

Chronic silicosis usually follows lower-level exposure over 10–30 years, often more than 20. Accelerated silicosis may develop about 5–10 years after heavier exposure. Rare acute silicosis can appear within weeks after very high exposure. 

Book a GP appointment if you have symptoms or are worried about exposure. Give details of your jobs, materials, tasks, dates, dust controls and protective equipment. A clinician may use your history, examination, chest X-ray or CT scan and lung-function tests. Only a medical professional can diagnose the cause of your symptoms. 

You may be able to claim compensation if workplace silica exposure caused or contributed to a diagnosed respiratory disease and reasonable protective steps were not taken. Every case depends on its facts, medical evidence, exposure history and applicable time limits, so seek specialist advice promptly. 

A claim is usually considered against an employer or another organisation responsible for the unsafe exposure—not against individual workmates. More than one business may be involved where exposure occurred across different jobs or sites. A solicitor can investigate employment records, contracts and available insurance. 

Do not assume you cannot seek advice. Your legal status depends on the real working arrangement, not only the label “self-employed”. If an employer has ceased trading or become insolvent, historic employers’ liability insurance may still be relevant. Preserve any payslips, tax records, contracts, site records and names of colleagues. 

Silicosis is distinct from asthma, asbestos-related pleural plaques and other lung conditions. Do not dismiss or self-diagnose persistent symptoms. Ask a clinician to consider your occupational history. Whether compensation may be available depends on the diagnosis, exposure and the law applying to the individual case. 

Employers should assess the risk and prevent or adequately control exposure. Measures may include using lower-silica materials, isolating dusty work, local extraction, on-tool water suppression, suitable cleaning methods and properly selected, face-fitted respiratory protective equipment. Water alone or a mask alone may not control dust created or recirculated elsewhere on site. 

  • Write down employers, sites, dates, materials, tasks and the dust controls or masks used. 
  • Keep photographs, training records, health-surveillance results and contact details for witnesses. 
  • If you are still exposed, raise the risk with your employer or trade union and use the controls provided. 

 

"Thompsons took a different view and they have done a fantastic job."

Mr Whittaker our industrial disease client.

Mr Whittaker's story

A former moulder received compensation after silica dust exposure at work caused respiratory issues.

Retired plasterer compensated after developing respiratory disease

Silicosis Fact Sheet

Silicosis is a serious lung disease caused by silica dust—see symptoms, diagnosis and how to claim in our Silicosis Fact Sheet.

In the news

Our team has recently featured on BBC Radio 2, in Hazards Magazine, the Daily Mail and Hazardex, speaking out about the risks of silicosis and the urgent need to better protect workers.