Lawyers representing stone workers say report revealing new form of silicosis linked to engineered stone shows need for tougher safety measures

Lawyers at Leigh Day say a report by a leading lung disease expert warning of a severe new form of silicosis linked to cutting engineered stone, or quartz, kitchen worktops, underlines the need for urgent action to better protect workers. 

The paper’s lead author Dr Johanna Feary, a consultant in occupational lung disease at Royal Brompton Hospital and senior clinical research fellow at the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London, has treated some of the first patients in the UK to be diagnosed with silicosis caused by manufacturing and cutting kitchen worktops. The outbreak of silicosis due to engineered/artificial stone has been reported elsewhere in the world but had not been reported in the UK until now.  The paper, published in the BMJ journal Thorax, confirms that cases in the UK are similar to others reported from abroad, where workers develop a more severe and progressive form of silicosis. Silicosis can be a deadly condition for which there is currently no cure. 

The paper reports the first eight cases in the UK of silicosis due cutting artificial stone, which has grown in popularity as a kitchen work-surface in recent years. It found that the new form of silicosis is characterised by a much shorter duration of exposure to silica dust than previously seen. All the patients in the study were young men, with an average age of 34. A number of those affected have died or been referred for lung transplant assessment.

The paper highlights how the cases to date come from small companies which are difficult to regulate. All the patients worked for companies with fewer than 10 employees. Even where workshop ventilation was present, the system had not been serviced or cleaned regularly. None of the workers were aware of any airborne dust monitoring in their workplace.

The number of cases of silicosis due to artificial stone worldwide is not known and is likely to be underestimated. Based on global experience and drawing from data in Australia where artificial stone has been recently banned, the number of UK cases is likely to increase significantly in the coming years.

Lawyers at Leigh Day, who have worked in partnership with Dr Feary for her medical expertise on this issue, represent several workers who have developed silicosis after being exposed to silica dust whilst working with engineered stone.

Report author Dr Johanna Feary said:

“The emergence of these cases of artificial stone silicosis in the UK is of real concern. It is affecting young men many of whom have only worked for a few years with this material. There is no good treatment and the implications of a diagnosis can be devastating. The UK needs to learn from the experience in other countries and to act quickly to minimise the number of deaths in the months and years to come.” 

Ewan Tant, partner at Leigh Day, said:

“This new report is deeply troubling but sadly not a surprise to our team which represents a growing number of stone workers who have contracted silicosis after cutting engineered stone. These young workers, often in their 20s and 30s, have in the worst cases lost their lives or been left unable to breathe without oxygen therapy and are facing the prospect of a lung transplant.

“It is essential there is better awareness of the dangers of engineered stone, proper protection for those working with it, adherence to safety regulations and ensuring the HSE have the resources to deal with employers who continue with poor practices. Without such urgent measures, we fear we may be on the threshold of a significant increase in cases of silicosis related to engineered stone that will only continue to get worse.”