UK HSE Bans Dry Cutting of Engineered Stone Worktops to Combat Silicosis Surge

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued guidance that prohibits “dry cutting” of engineered stone (quartz) worktops and mandates water-suppression tools. The agency will carry out more than 1,000 inspections across the sector over the next twelve months; breaches can lead to up to two years’ imprisonment and unlimited fines.

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Since mid-2023, over 50 UK stonemasons—many migrants in their 20s and 30s—have been diagnosed with silicosis, an incurable lung disease. The average age of affected workers is 43; four have died, and the youngest case, a 23-year-old, has been referred for a lung transplant. Cases have emerged after as little as one year of exposure, far shorter than the decades-long latency typical in mining.

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• Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – policy regulator, represented by Deputy Director Mike Calcutt.

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• The i Paper – Killer Kitchens campaign – investigative outlet that first publicised the UK cases.

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• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Respiratory Health – chaired by DUP MP Jim Shannon.

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• British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) – CEO Kevin Bampton.

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• Trade Unions Congress (TUC) – Director of Organising Sian Elliot.

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• Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms – government spokesperson.

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• Affected workers – including stonemasons Luke Bunker, Marek Marzec, Wessam al-Jundi and Malik Al-Khalil.

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• >50 diagnosed silicosis cases (mid-2023-2024).

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• 4 confirmed deaths; youngest patient 23 years old.

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• 1,000 planned HSE inspections in 2024-2025.

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• Engineered stone can contain up to 95 % crystalline silica, compared with natural stone (granite ~30 %, marble ~5 %).

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• International comparators: Australia banned engineered stone in 2024; California reports >550 cases and 30 deaths since 2018.

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Silicosis is preventable yet fatal, imposing long-term health costs and loss of skilled labour. The UK guidance aligns domestic regulation with international precedents and seeks to level the competitive field by enforcing uniform safety standards.

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HSE stressed that the guidance provides clear legal obligations, including water suppression, respiratory protective equipment, and regular health surveillance. The government highlighted the moral imperative to protect workers from preventable disease. The APPG called for a national screening programme and real-time dust detection. BOHS welcomed the clarity of the new rules while urging continued media scrutiny. The TUC argued that eliminating engineered stone altogether would be the most effective safeguard.

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Trade-union representatives and some MPs urged an outright ban of engineered stone, mirroring Australia’s approach. Jim Shannon stressed the need for a comprehensive screening programme to capture workers missed by current surveillance. Critics warned that guidance alone may be insufficient without broader measures against all silica-dust sources.

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Stonemason Luke Bunker, with ten years of quartz work, was diagnosed with silicosis and emphysema. Marek Marzec described working in a “tornado” of dust before dying seven months after diagnosis. Wessam al-Jundi died five days after admission while awaiting a transplant. Malik Al-Khalil, diagnosed after exposure in small London factories, called for an immediate ban.

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While the UK now mandates water-cutting, other jurisdictions have enacted full bans. No national screening programme has yet been implemented, leaving a gap in early detection for workers already exposed.

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• “Marek Marzec died in November 2024, just seven months after he was diagnosed with silicosis Mike Calcutt, deputy director in HSE’s engagement and policy division, said: “Today’s guidance marks our most significant intervention in the engineered stone sector to date, and not without good reason.” — Mike Calcutt, Deputy Director, HSE

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• “ The i Paper’s Killer Kitchens campaign has pushed for a ban on dry cutting to protect stonemasons from deadly dust Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, said: “Every worker deserves to come home safe, without fear of losing their life to a preventable, deadly lung disease caused by their job.” — Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability

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• “While the guidance should have an impact with legitimate industry, we still need a national screening programme to capture those workers which the new surveillance will miss,” — Jim Shannon, DUP MP, Chair of APPG on Respiratory Health

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• “Sian Elliot, director of organising at the Trade Unions Congress (TUC), said: “Steps to strengthen protections and reduce exposure are welcome, but the most effective way to prevent deaths and diseases is to remove the hazard altogether.” — Sian Elliot, Director of Organising, TUC

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HSE will commence the scheduled inspections, monitor compliance, and work with industry to promote lower-silica stone products. Stakeholders anticipate discussions on a possible national screening scheme and, for some, legislation to prohibit engineered stone entirely.

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