Manufacturing industry - Silica dust
Dust from natural or artificial stone can cause serious illness. With a rise in the popularity of artificial stone kitchen and bathroom worktops, there is a rising concern that workers involved in their manufacture and installation are at a high risk of early-onset fatal lung disease.
New HSE guidance highlights the serious risks of working with engineered stone, (aka Quartz) which can contain up to 95% crystalline silica.
Breathing in respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust can cause silicosis – an incurable and potentially fatal lung disease that can develop rapidly.
Following the deaths of two young workers in GB in 2024, HSE research has confirmed that dry cutting can expose workers to 5-10 times more RCS than wet methods.
Dry cutting MUST NOT be carried out – it can expose workers to significantly higher levels of hazardous dust.
Low-silica alternatives of equivalent quality are now available, removing any justification for higher-risk materials and practices.
What is Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS)?
Silica is a naturally occurring mineral found in varying amounts in most rocks, sand and clay. Engineered stone or artificial stone, used in kitchen and bathroom worktop manufacturing can contain up to 95% silica dust.
During cutting, sanding and grinding of these silica-containing materials, very fine dust is produced, some of which is small enough to reach deep inside the lungs and cause serious harm to health.
Health risks
Anyone who breathes in RCS should know the damage it can do to the lungs and airways. The main RCS dust-related diseases affecting stone workers, especially those who work with engineered stone are:
The law
Employers must assess and control the risks from dust exposure under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 (COSHH). They must provide appropriate information and training to workers.
COSHH also requires health surveillance when your workers remain exposed to health risks, even after controls have been put in place:
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 - (legislation.gov.uk)
Employers’ duties
- COSHH assessments should be carried out for all stone cutting, whether in a factory setting or on site during installation
- consider the hierarchy of controls (Respiratory Protective Equipment alone should not be relied upon as a control measure)
- information, instruction, training and supervision of employees is necessary
- ensure controls are effective; this should consider health surveillance
Controls
In the factory
- work with stone containing the lowest crystalline silica content to reduce health risks for all workers.
- use on-tool water suppression to reduce dust
- work within a partially enclosed and externally vented local exhaust ventilation (LEV) booth
- provide Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPR) or other equivalent positive pressure RPE
- do as much cutting, shaping and polishing in a suitably equipped workplace, rather than on-site
- Clean up immediately using wet methods – use a low pressure water hose or an M-class vacuum and clean dust from worktops before transport
- never dry brush or use compressed air for removing dust
During installation
- ensure only minor modifications are carried out on-site in a well-ventilated, segregated area with restricted access
- use on-tool water-suppression to reduce dust
- provide Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPR) or other equivalent positive pressure RPE
- Clean work area regularly using an M-class vacuum
- never dry brush
More information
For more information on Silica Dust please see the following links:
- Health in manufacturing - Resource list
- Stone cutters - Are you protecting your lungs - Poster
- Silica Dust topic page
- COSHH advice sheets for stoneworkers