Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many cases of silicosis and how many deaths there have been during the past five years associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) in engineered stone worktops, and what steps they plan to take to reduce that number, in particular by inspections for RCS in manufacturing and developing tools to identify RCS exposure.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been advised that a database which collects voluntary information from around 350 physicians on Surveillance of Work-related and Occupational Respiratory Diseases (known as SWORD) has recorded eighteen cases of silicosis where a respiratory physician has attributed the cause to working engineered stone. HSE is aware of one death.

HSE is working with industry stakeholders to establish practical guidelines to ensure workers are protected, meeting recently with manufacturers of stone products to discuss the range of possible actions for working with engineered stone. Further workshops with other stakeholders in the supply chain are proposed, aimed at determining the best focus for inspections targeting engineered stone, whilst HSE also investigates reported ill-health and concerns about inadequate risk management.