HSE Issues Prohibition Notices Over Deadly Silicosis Risk from Engineered Stone
Published on 07/26/2026 at 17:37 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued prohibition notices to four companies, ordering an immediate halt to the unsafe use of engineered stone. The enforcement action follows mounting concerns over the risk of silicosis — an incurable and often fatal lung disease caused by inhaling crystalline silica dust.
HSE officials have stressed that the disease is entirely preventable if proper safety measures are followed. The regulator now requires firms working with engineered stone to use water suppression systems, high-quality respiratory protective equipment (RPE), and regular health surveillance for employees. Companies are also being encouraged to switch to materials with lower silica content to reduce exposure.
Medical Warnings and Tragic Consequences
The dangers of artificial stone processing have been highlighted by medical professionals and recent fatalities. Dr Johanna Feary, a specialist in the field, noted that workers in the artificial-stone industry often experience a rapid onset of silicosis symptoms. The human cost was underscored by the case of Wessam Al Jundi, who died aged 28 from complications of the disease.
Harvey Wild, a senior HSE official, said that while the risks are severe, they can be managed through strict adherence to safety protocols. Minister Sir Stephen Timms has publicly backed the HSE's decisive action, describing it as a necessary step to protect workers from life-altering respiratory damage.
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Regulatory Requirements and Appeals Process
Under current enforcement rules, the HSE has delayed publication of the four sanctioned firms' names for five weeks. This period allows the companies to exercise their right to appeal the prohibition notices.
The crackdown on engineered stone processing coincides with broader HSE enforcement across the UK. In April, the regulator issued an improvement notice to Cumberland Council over asbestos management at Whitehaven Civic Hall. The facility was closed in May for remediation, with the council allocating £500,000 for asbestos-related works and appointing an external firm to review its property portfolio.
Pressure Mounts on Construction and Masonry Sectors
The focus on stone-related health risks follows several high-profile legal cases involving safety failures in the sector. In a case dating from June 2022, Classic Quartz Stone Ltd was fined £300,000 after a worker was hospitalised for 50 days when struck by stone slabs. Investigations revealed 175 safety breaches over a five-week period, including a failure to provide training in a language the worker understood.
The HSE also recently issued two prohibition notices to Story Contracting for failures relating to fall prevention and excavation safety. These actions come as the construction industry continues to record the highest number of workplace fatalities in the UK. According to HSE data for the 2025/26 period, there were 25 workplace deaths across all sectors, 11 of which occurred in construction.
Despite the recent flurry of prohibition notices, industry data suggests the total number of HSE enforcement notices has halved over the last four years. However, the severity of recent fines indicates the regulator remains focused on high-risk sectors. This is exemplified by a July 2022 incident where Lima Construction Ltd was fined £50,000 following a fatal fall from scaffolding, and a December 2023 case where Varcity Living Ltd was fined £50,000 after an apprentice joiner was killed by falling unsecured boards.
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