HSE to draft new guidelines around engineered stone

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is drafting new guidelines for tradesmen working with engineered stone after report shows increased risk to silicosis. HSE is asking for industry feedback from the Worktop Fabricators Federation – an association promoting good working practices for worktop fabrication and stone masonry industries – who were presented with draft guidelines to review.

Dust created from working with stone can include silica and significant exposure can cause silicosis, a respiratory disease. It comes after experts called for a ban on artificial worktops when a report linked its manufacturing process to increased risk of silicosis. The report, carried out in the UK, had concluded: “The growing use of artificial stone has seen the emergence of a severe progressive accelerated form of silicosis.”

Commenting on the new guidelines, a HSE spokesperson said: “Great Britain has a robust and well-established regulatory framework in place to protect workers from the health risks associated with exposure to hazardous substances.

“We continue to work with industry to raise awareness of managing the risks of exposure to respirable crystalline silica. As part of this engagement, we are consulting with industry on best practice guidelines to discuss practical solutions to tackle this shared issue.”

HSE currently advise workplaces to carry out health surveillance on workers around to dust exposure for high-risk occupations such as construction, brick and tile work and manufacturing.

BSG Recommendations

Please take time to view our silicosis guidelines on BSG’s YouTube channel as well as the information available on the BSG Hub:

• Silica Dust – BSG Toolbox Talk
• Silica Dust on Construction Sites – BSG Byte
• BSG Hub: 706 Exposure to Silica Dust.doc (To access document, login to BSG Hub: See BSG InTel, H&S Documentation, Risk Assessments)