HSE Says No to Dry Cutting of Engineered Stone
The Health and Safety Executive has taken its firmest action yet on silica dust exposure and the obligations of employers. In May 2026, the regulator published a major package of measures stating that dry cutting of engineered stone is unacceptable. The HSE also confirmed that inspectors will visit more than 1,000 fabrication workshops across Great Britain over the next year, and that some workplaces have already been ordered to stop work as a result of those inspections.
The regulator firmly believes these new measures are necessary to “protect workers from the dangers of engineered stone dust, including silicosis, a deadly-but-preventable lung disease caused by breathing in silica dust released during stone cutting.”
Source: HSE says no dry cutting of engineered stone ahead of inspection crackdown .
For anyone who cuts, grinds or polishes stone for a living, this matters. In this blog, our industrial illness team examines what has changed and what it means if you have already been exposed.
Why Has the HSE Acted Now?
The short answer is that an increasing number of workers have been dying. Since 2024, four UK workers have died from silicosis linked to cutting quartz kitchen worktops, and more than fifty cases have been diagnosed. The average age of those affected is just 31. One man needed a lung transplant at 23.
It is important to realise that silicosis is not a new disease. Stonemasons have known about it for generations, and work-related silica exposure still contributes to around 500 deaths a year in the UK.
What has changed are the materials being used. Engineered stone, the man-made quartz used in many modern kitchen worktops, can contain up to 95% crystalline silica. Granite, by comparison, is usually somewhere between 15% and 30%.
That difference is significant and has consequences. With natural stone, silicosis normally takes decades of exposure to develop. However, with engineered stone, doctors are seeing severe disease in workers after only a few years, sometimes less. By the time symptoms appear, the lung damage is permanent.
The deaths of two young worktop fabricators prompted calls for action from MPs, trade unions and doctors, and the HSE spent two years researching the industry before publishing its response. What it found was concerning: many businesses were still dry-cutting high-silica stone without proper controls, exposing workers to dust levels five to ten times higher than those from wet-cutting methods using the same tools. Read our previous article, ‘HSE Raising Awareness of Silica-Related Respiratory Risks for Stone Worktop Installers’, for related information.
What Does the New Guidance Say?
The guidance sets out the controls the HSE expects to be in place wherever engineered stone is cut or finished. In practice, it rules out dry cutting altogether. Businesses working with engineered stone should be:
- Using water suppression on tools to stop dust from becoming airborne.
- Switching to engineered stone with a lower silica content, which the HSE found is available at the same quality.
- Providing workers with properly fitted respiratory protection.
- Carrying out regular health surveillance so problems are picked up early.
None of these obligations is new or optional. Employers already have a legal duty under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) to prevent or control exposure to silica dust. HSE’s new guidance simply spells out what meeting those obligations looks like, removing any excuse for not knowing.
To back it up, HSE inspectors are visiting fabrication workshops across the country throughout 2026 and 2027, with enforcement action against those falling short. Work has already been stopped at sites where inspectors found workers at risk.
Is HSE’s Guidance Enough?
Not everyone thinks so. Australia went further and banned engineered stone outright in 2024, after around a quarter of the workers tested in its fabrication industry were found to have silicosis.
Campaigners here, including the i Paper through its ‘Killer Kitchens’ campaign, want the UK to follow. A bill introduced in Parliament this year calls for a ban on dry cutting high-silica stone to be written into law, alongside a screening programme for exposed workers.
Doctors have also warned that the 52 confirmed UK cases are likely to be the tip of the iceberg. Silicosis has no symptoms in its early stages and is easily mistaken for other lung conditions, so cases are being missed. Some estimates suggest more than 1,000 workers in the worktop industry may already be affected without knowing it. That is why there is growing pressure for a national screening programme, and for silicosis to be made a reportable disease so the true scale of the problem is finally recorded.
What does this mean if you have been exposed?
The new guidance matters for workers in two ways.
First, prevention. If you work with engineered stone and your employer is still dry cutting, or has not provided water suppression, proper masks or health checks, they are ignoring clear instructions from the regulator. You can raise concerns directly with the HSE, which has asked workers in the industry to get in touch.
Second, accountability. Although guidance is not law in itself, courts use it as the measure of what a reasonable employer should be doing. An employer who carried on dry cutting after being told plainly that it is unacceptable will find it very hard to argue they took proper care of their staff. And because engineered stone silicosis develops quickly, the exposure behind these claims is recent, which usually means the employer and their insurer can be traced without difficulty.
If you have been diagnosed with silicosis, COPD, or another lung condition after working with stone, concrete or brick, you may be entitled to compensation. That applies even if the company you worked for has since closed, and even if your exposure was spread across several jobs. You can read more on our silica dust claims page.
Silica Dust Exposure Solicitors
As the guidance shows, your employer is legally obliged to provide a safe working environment for you so that the possibility of exposure to dangerous materials is minimal. They are also responsible for providing appropriate training for handling goods and machinery and supplying suitable safety equipment. If these responsibilities are not met, employers or duty holders could be held liable for negligence.
We understand that deciding to pursue a personal injury claim – especially against an employer or large company – can be intimidating. You may also feel uncertain about the potential success of your claim. In these cases, it is essential to seek the advice of a trusted and experienced solicitor who can support you throughout the process.
At The Personal Injury People, we can provide the answers and guidance you need and offer advice tailored to your case. We work on a ‘no-win, no-fee’ basis and help clients nationwide. With extensive experience supporting clients with silica dust exposure and industrial disease claims, we are here to help.
If you want to find out if you can make a compensation claim, contact our team for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your case.