A kitchen worktop manufacturer has been fined £60,000 for persistently failing to protect its workforce from hazardous stone dust exposure. The company faced legal action following repeated warnings and nine separate inspections by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) over a six-year period.
In May 2021, HSE inspectors were prompted to revisit the company after receiving reports of unsafe practices. The visit uncovered multiple serious health and safety breaches, with employees stating that “no one is in charge of health and safety.” Inspectors found the workshop floor thick with dust, marked with boot prints — a clear sign of inadequate housekeeping and poor dust control.
The production of stone kitchen worktops involves cutting and polishing engineered stone, which generates respirable crystalline silica (RCS) — a fine airborne dust that can lodge deep in the lungs. Without effective control, prolonged exposure to RCS can lead to life-altering and often fatal conditions, including silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer.
In addition to uncontrolled dust exposure, inspectors found workers using machinery without appropriate guarding. Heavy stone slabs were also being stored unsafely, presenting serious risks of crush injuries or other physical harm. These failings represented systemic lapses in the company’s health and safety management.
The May 2021 inspection led to four improvement notices being served — but it was not the first time the company had faced enforcement action. A similar intervention took place in 2017, highlighting a troubling pattern of neglect. Despite years of advice and direction, inspectors noted little to no improvement.
The company pleaded guilty at Staines Magistrates’ Court to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act, as well as three counts of failing to comply with legal improvement notices. The company received a £60,000 fine and was ordered to pay an additional £7,363 in court costs.
They failed to comply with legal notices requiring them to make improvements and repeatedly showed a lack of commitment to managing health and safety,’ said HSE Principal Inspector Karen Morris following the sentencing. ‘After years of advice and enforcement, the company had ample opportunity to bring its practices up to legal standards – but consistently failed to act. This case sends a clear message: employers working with engineered stone must treat the risks from respirable crystalline silica with the utmost seriousness.
SOURCE – IOSH
