HSE has taken its first enforcement action as part of the nationwide inspection programme to protect workers from silica dust. Several businesses have received prohibition notices requiring them to stop work immediately and take steps to improve safety.
What Inspectors Found
Inspections are continuing across Great Britain, with HSE inspectors conducting more than 1,000 visits to fabricators throughout 2026. Enforcement action will be taken where businesses are not meeting the required standards.
The Failures Identified Included:
- Dry cutting still taking place, with a lack of on-tool water suppression
- Insufficient mist control
- Inadequate or absent respiratory protective equipment (RPE)
- Failures in health surveillance
- Machinery guarding issues
⚠️ Remember
Engineered stone is widely used for kitchen worktops and bathroom vanity surfaces and can contain as much as 90% respirable crystalline silica (RCS). Inhaling this dust can cause devastating and irreversible lung diseases including silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer.
Watch: Managing the Risks of Respirable Crystalline Silica
Need Support Controlling Dust Exposure?
Ryder Partnership can visit you on site and help you implement the measures needed to keep your employees safe from dust exposure.
Why This Matters
Although irreversible, silica-related lung diseases are preventable with the right controls. HSE undertook a 2-year process of research and industry engagement, gathering evidence on how the risk can best be managed.
What the Research Found
Dry fabrication typically results in exposure to RCS 5 to 10 times higher than wet methods using equivalent tools.
Lower-content silica engineered stone is available at the same quality — a practical way to reduce risk without compromising on the finished product.
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