In light of the news articles published last week relating to silicosis and the fabrication of kitchen worktops, we wanted to make a statement to clarify our position on the matter.
We are confident that the majority involved in the stone industry in the UK and Ireland are aware of the dangers of silicosis and the risks posed when working with engineered stone, and indeed any type of stone. This has been an issue that has been well publicised for many years now, and there are many preventative measures, solutions and best working practices readily available in order to combat this potentially deadly health issue.
The recent media coverage has painted the situation as something of an epidemic amongst fabricators in this country, but we do not believe this to be the case. With the ban on engineered stone in Australia, focus on this material and the issues relating to RCS (respirable crystalline silica) dust has become ever more intense across the globe. However, this isn’t a new issue, it has long been a priority for the stone industry in the UK and Ireland. We know the majority of fabricators will always put the safety and wellbeing of their workers at the forefront of everything they do, and over the years we have had numerous conversations with customers regarding solutions they can put in place to mitigate against the risk of silicosis and other stone industry-related health issues.
All different types of stone, whether it be engineered or natural, contain varying levels of silica. So regardless of what material you are working with, you should be following best practice to keep fabricators safe: including providing suitable PPE, air purification, water treatment, wet polishing and finishing, dust monitoring and more. Provided you are doing so correctly and following well-publicised safety measures, we don’t believe that working with engineered stone is any more dangerous than working with other stone.
Every responsible party within the stone industry is working hard to make it a safer, more enjoyable and more progressive environment to work in; from fabricators to tooling suppliers to material manufacturers. However, if you have any concerns about silicosis and the dangers posed by working in stone fabrication, or you would like to know more about fabricating engineered stone and other materials safely, please just get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to provide you with support and advice. You can check out the resources on our Safe in Stone page or alternatively you can visit the dedicated area on the WFF website.
