Crystals of sodium silicate. Photo Mitzxxz/shutterstock.com.
Preventable industrial diseases are still with us. Trade union Unite is calling for action on exposure to crystalline silica.
This material is used to make engineered stone. In December 2025 Australia became the first country to ban it completely. Inhaling fine crystalline silica dust can cause silicosis, an incurable lung disease.
And in California state officials recently voted for a ban. If that becomes law, California would become the first US state to do so. The decision follows 550 recorded silicosis cases and 31 deaths linked to crystalline silica inhalation. Numbers are rising rapidly.
This dust is released in dangerous quantities when workers cut quartz surfaces. The material is widely used for kitchen countertops in Britain. With 50 confirmed cases and four deaths reported here, there are calls for a government ban.
Silicosis is irreversible, progressive and often fatal. Dr Johanna Feary, a lung specialist at the Royal Brompton Hospital, believes the true number of UK cases is far higher than the number officially recorded. She says the disease is appearing in a young workforce – people in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
In May, the Health and Safety Executive issued new guidance aimed at preventing further deaths among stoneworkers. It has now declared that dry-cutting engineered stone is “unacceptable.” Employers must adopt preventative measures such as using water-suppression tools to control dust exposure. Unite says the guidance is impossible to follow during on-site fitting, cutting or finishing in people’s homes.
General secretary Sharon Graham said, “Engineered stone is causing serious, preventable illness and death amongst workers. The UK should follow Australia’s example and ban this deadly material outright.”