Following widespread media reports of new cases of silicosis and medical experts joining the call for a UK artificial stone ban, the Worktop Fabricators Federation (WFF) has updated its guidance around occupationally-acquired silicosis.
Originally published last December and then updated this week, the WFF statement outlines that while silicosis is a dangerous disease, the danger comes from not following health and safety guidelines when cutting and fabricating.
Its broad advice for retailers, designers, specifiers, installers and consumers is that there is no direct health risk as a result and they should always seek qualified, compliant fabricators.
“Banning engineered quartz does not remove the risk of respirable crystalline silica dust (RCS) exposure,” the WFF says. “Many natural stone materials contain high proportions of crystalline silica, as do many ceramic products.
“Good quality factory management, water-based dust-suppression and proper monitoring of workers’ health are still absolutely de rigueur in a well-run worktop factory, immaterial of the precise material under the saw.”
RCS is both a dust hazard and a carcinogen and is created only when natural or engineered stone materials are cut, shaped, and finished prior to installation.
“It is important to note in this context that this is a factory management issue,” the WFF guide says. “There is no health risk to showroom staff, installers or consumers associated with specifying, handling, shipping, installing or using engineered stone worktops.”
The WFF also highlights the current Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance for factory owners and enforcement teams. That guidance states: “Products containing silica can be processed safely when proper controls are put in place. We would urge all manufacturers and fitters to ensure that they use suitable controls to protect their workers and themselves from inhaling silica dust.”
The WFF notes that recent concerns over RCS dust have been driven by two key developments: Australia’s ban on engineered stone products due to high silica content and the first UK cases of occupational silicosis among stone worktop fabricators.
Kent-based Herringbone Kitchens recently decided to stop the sale of high-silica engineered stone quartz, and even formed a government petition to consider a UK ban.
The WFF believes that while Australia’s ban addresses historical exposure risks, improvements in stone manufacturing have already reduced silica content in modern products.
Despite this, recent UK cases highlight significant safety failures, particularly among low paid manual workers lacking proper health and safety training. The WFF emphasises that dry-cutting stone generates hazardous RCS dust and that “relying solely on personal protective equipment (PPE) is insufficient for long-term protection.”
Nigel Fletcher, operations officer at the WFF, said: “The Federation has a wide variety of member businesses, large and small, that are all committed to following best practice and protecting their workforce. Following health and safety rules such as suppressed water cutting with the right filtration and protection, and using correct PPE, is enough to manage risk.”
To reassure customers, the WFF says that its advice is to buy from reputable fabricators. It added that its members “all operate automated cutting tools using state-of-the-art dust suppression, undertake regular health audits of their workers and hold detailed data sheets to prove the provenance of the materials they supply.”
The full statement can be found here and a full list of the WFF’s members can be found here.
