The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have updated their essential guidance for stone worktop installers to ensure safe working practices, regarding silica dust exposure.
Stone workers are at risk of exposure to airborne particles of stone dust containing respirable crystalline silica (RCS) when processing stone, including engineered stone, by cutting, chiselling, and polishing.
The guidance explains what employers and workers need to do to stay safe from stone dust and covers 3 main areas:
- competent staff and effective processes
- pre-installation actions
- on-site installation actions
See a summary of the guidance below:
Dust from natural, artificial, or engineered stone can cause serious illness. This guidance is for installers of stone worktops and may help anyone who cuts or works with stone.
Serious risks from breathing in stone dust
- If someone breathes in stone dust containing respirable crystalline silica (RCS) it can cause lung diseases including silicosis, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- RCS is a substance that is hazardous to health. The law says that employers must assess and control the risks from dust exposure.
RCS is in most rocks, sands, clays and products like bricks, tiles and concrete. When these materials are cut, sanded, carved or ground, dust is created. This dust may be fine enough to be breathed deep into the lungs.
Training and information: Ensure that anyone working with stone is trained to do so. Self-employed, have the same legal duties as an employer. To work with stone, workers must understand:
- the risks from RCS
- how you can be exposed to RCS and other dust
- what measures you should use to control the risks
Before arriving on site: Minimise the creation of dust on site. Do as much cutting, shaping or polishing in a suitably equipped workplace before arriving on site to install. Consider:
- cutting out sink and tap holes
- check the works specification to make sure any other optional aspects, like cutting drainage grooves, are done off site
- clean dust-off worktops before transporting them – use wet cleaning or a M-class vacuum
- use accurate measurements for fabrication by getting specifications from contractors or customers, or use templates or infrared measuring devices
Check before installing: Prepare before you start installing a stone worktop. Check:
- that any other installers are also trained to work with stone
- the equipment before you use it – ensure filters in on-tool extraction, vacuums, and respiratory protective equipment (RPE) have been changed as necessary, and any water suppression system can deliver an adequate water flow
- that everyone knows how to report any health and safety issues or concerns when they are on site
During installation: Ensure that you have what you need to control risks of exposure to harmful dust such as:
- an adequate water supply for suppression
- appropriate segregated areas for any cutting tasks that can only be done on site
- Carry out minor modifications that can only be done on site in a well-ventilated, segregated area with restricted access (ideally outdoors) using appropriate measures to control the risk.
Reduce risks by:
- using water suppression or on-tool extraction with a shroud and dust collector attached to an M-class vacuum
- shutting down heating systems with blowers or air-conditioning units – these can resuspend settled dust and increase airborne concentrations
- wearing a face mask (RPE), for example an ‘FFP3′ mask with an assigned protection factor (APF) of at least 20 (unless you are monitoring dust levels, and the data shows that this level of protection is unnecessary for adequate control). RPE with an APF of 20 can reduce the amount of dust you breathe in by a factor of 20
Plan the clean-up: There are still risks of exposure to harmful dust for you and others unless you clean up appropriately. Consider:
- clean up immediately using wet methods – use a low-pressure water hose or an M-class vacuum
- continue to wear a face mask (RPE) while cleaning
- discard all stone waste materials (wet slurry and captured dust) promptly and without exposing anyone to dust
- avoid transferring dust between areas by keeping clothes and personal protective equipment (PPE) clean, for example vacuum coveralls before leaving a dusty area
- avoid dry sweeping dust and debris, or do anything that makes the dust go airborne
- not use dry brushing or compressed air to clean dust-off work clothing;
- dispose of personal protective clothing and/or RPE once it has been used.
The HSE has a dedicated COSHH resource for Stone Workers, click for further information.
