Stonemasons Face Rising Silicosis Cases,โค Sparking Calls โขfor Industry-Wide Safety Overhaul
A growing โnumberโข of stonemasons are being diagnosed withโ silicosis, a debilitating andโค often fatal lung disease, prompting โurgent calls for stricter safety regulationsโ and a โpotential ban on engineered stone – dubbedโ “theโฃ newโฃ asbestos” – usedโค in kitchen โฃworktops and luxury construction.
Gareth Edwards, 38, a father of two from South Wales, is among those battling the disease, experiencing breathlessness and fatigue as silicosisโข progressively โขdamages hisโค lungs. He contractedโค the illness after โคyears โฃcutting engineered โฃstone, a materialโฃ increasingly popularโ for its aesthetic appealโฃ but containing high levels of crystalline silica.โฃ “I’mโฃ suffocating,”โค Edwards stated, describing the impact of the disease on his daily life. โ”It โขfeels like I’m breathing through a straw.” His case highlights โa worrying trend โฃof younger workers developing โsilicosis, traditionally โขassociated with โขdecades of exposure.
Theโ disease is caused by inhaling โrespirable crystalline silica dust, created when engineered stone isโค cut, polished,โ or โdrilled. Overโข time, this dust โคembeds in the lungs, causing inflammation and scarring, leading โฃto reducedโ lung function and ultimately, โคrespiratory failure. Experts warn that current safety โmeasures in some workplaces are “woefully inadequate,” with some describing conditionsโ as “practicallyโข Victorian.”
“Silicosis is aโ preventable disease,yet we โare โseeing younger and younger workers left with life-changing and frequently enough fatal health problems,” said daniel Poet,partner andโข industrial disease โspecialist atโฃ Thompsons Solicitors.โข “The law โฃis clear: employers have a duty to protect their workers. But too many are failing, and it is indeed costing lives.”
The crisis extendsโ beyondโ engineered stone.โข Workers handling natural stone also remain at risk. โSandra Elliot,โ 59, tragically lost her husband, George, 64, a stonemason from Bexhill-on-Sea, to silicosis two years ago.โ He developed the disease while working on high-end constructionโค projects. “We have to start looking after โขthese men better so other wives and families don’t โhave to suffer like Iโฃ did,” Elliot pleaded.
George’s sister-in-law, Caroline Hudson, โ64, a retiredโค personal assistant, is now โadvocating for a ban on engineered stone, stating, “It isโค indeed the new asbestosis.”
Hannah Wall, an expert occupational disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, โขrepresenting affected workers, emphasized that a potential ban on artificial stone is only a โfirst step. โฃ”There’s still muchโฃ more that needs โto beโค doneโ to protect โworkersโฆ the healthโข and safety measures put in placeโข by some employers remain โwoefully inadequate.”
Joe Clarke, Unite โOfficer, warned, “We’reโค going to see anโ epidemic โฃover the next few years.”
The Department for Work andโค Pensions (DWP) acknowledged the severity of the issue,stating,”Our condolencesโฃ are with anyone whoโฃ has โlostโ a โฃloved one toโ silicosis or been affected by work-related disease.” A DWP spokespersonโ added that the Health and Safety Executive is “continuing working with industry on this issue.”
