The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued the first Prohibition Notices under its nationwide inspection programme targeting the engineered stone industry, marking a significant escalation in efforts to tackle workplace exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS).
Four businesses have been ordered to stop working with engineered stone after HSE inspectors identified serious failings in the controls needed to protect workers from harmful silica dust exposure. The notices require work to cease immediately until adequate safety measures are in place.
The enforcement action follows the launch of a major HSE campaign in May 2026, which was prompted by growing concerns about cases of accelerated silicosis in younger workers. Silicosis is an incurable lung disease caused by inhaling respirable crystalline silica and can develop far more rapidly when working with engineered stone products, which may contain up to 95% silica.
As part of the campaign, the HSE has published new guidance making clear that dry cutting of engineered stone is unacceptable due to the high levels of silica dust generated during the process. Research cited by the regulator found that dry fabrication can result in workers being exposed to between five and ten times more respirable silica dust than equivalent wet-cutting methods.
The regulator has announced plans to carry out more than 1,000 inspections across Great Britain over the next 12 months, with enforcement action promised where employers fail to meet their legal duties.
What employers should be doing
The latest enforcement action serves as a timely reminder that exposure to silica dust remains one of the most serious occupational health risks in construction, manufacturing and fabrication environments.
Employers working with engineered stone should ensure they have:
Suitable dust controls in place, including water suppression systems.
Appropriate respiratory protective equipment (RPE) for workers.
Effective training and supervision.
Adequate health surveillance programmes.
Reviewed their COSHH assessments to ensure silica risks are properly managed.
Don’t assume silica is only an engineered stone problem
The recent enforcement activity has focused on engineered stone, but the underlying health risk is silica dust. Many natural stone products, as well as concrete and masonry, contain crystalline silica. If your work involves cutting, drilling, grinding or polishing these materials, you should be assessing exposure risks, implementing effective dust controls, providing appropriate RPE and considering health surveillance where necessary. The important question isn’t whether the material is engineered stone – it’s whether workers could be breathing in harmful levels of respirable silica dust.
The occupational health perspective
While enforcement has understandably made headlines, the wider issue is one of prevention. Occupational lung disease often develops gradually and can cause irreversible harm long before symptoms become apparent. Effective health surveillance, regular monitoring and robust dust control measures remain critical for identifying risks early and protecting workers’ long-term health.
The HSE’s latest action signals a clear message to employers: controlling silica dust exposure is not simply a compliance issue – it is a fundamental occupational health responsibility.
Source: The Health & Safety Executive (May and June 2026 announcements on engineered stone guidance, inspections and enforcement action).
We have worked with Safewell for many years and are retained clients, so we have developed an excellent working relationship with the team. However, this really came into its own when Covid 19 appeared.
As a Plumbing and Heating business, we were able to carry on working during the lockdown but only for responding to emergencies. We were obviously very concerned about the health and safety of our employees and before we even had chance to get in touch with Safewell, they had emailed us offering their assistance. It is hard to put down on paper how that made us feel - we like everyone else felt totally at sea, which way to turn, what to do? But Safewell were there guiding, supporting and being totally brilliant. Their attention to detail is very impressive and reassuring and we feel able to ask lots of questions without feeling silly.
During the pandemic Safewell helped us to write risk assessments, safety procedures and protocols. They kept in touch regularly, issuing new guidance as soon as it appeared and checking in with us. They held group Q&A sessions over Zoom which were helpful, and knowing other businesses were facing the same challenges and having the opportunity to discuss issues was invaluable. Their help during the preparation for a full return to work was brilliant, they enabled us to be fully prepared and feel in control, and when we had our first case of Covid within the team, because we had planned our response it felt ok.
I think our team felt very reassured by our robust approach and that our office was Covid secure. We are extremely grateful to all the team at Safewell
