HSE's Engineered Stone Crackdown

In May 2026, HSE did something it has never done before. It published COSHH guidance specifically for engineered stone fabrication — guidance that makes one thing absolutely clear: dry cutting of engineered stone is unacceptable. Not inadvisable. Not discouraged. Unacceptable. At the same time, it launched a programme of over 1,000 inspections of stone fabricators across Great Britain, and those inspections are already underway.

This is a direct enforcement response to the deaths of young workers from silicosis — a fatal, incurable lung disease caused by breathing in respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust. What makes engineered stone different from natural stone is the speed at which it can cause disease. Where natural stone-related silicosis typically takes decades to develop, workers cutting engineered stone have been diagnosed within months of starting work. By the time symptoms appear, the damage is already irreversible.

What the new guidance requires

Engineered stone can contain up to 95% crystalline silica. HSE's research found that dry cutting generates RCS exposure five to ten times higher than wet cutting using equivalent tools. The new guidance sets out what employers must now have in place:

• Switch to engineered stone products with low silica content where available.
• Use on-tool water suppression — wet cutting methods — when fabricating engineered stone.
• Provide appropriate respiratory protective equipment (RPE) for all workers involved.
• Carry out regular health surveillance to detect early signs of lung disease.

These are not recommendations. They are legal requirements under COSHH. HSE has confirmed that water suppression is how businesses meet their legal obligation, and that businesses using dry cutting cannot demonstrate adequate control.

Who this affects

The obvious target is the stone fabrication industry — workshops cutting worktops and surfaces for kitchens and bathrooms. But the obligations extend further. Principal contractors and clients commissioning refurbishment or fit-out work that involves engineered stone surfaces need to know that any fabricator they use must be compliant. Specifying the work isn't enough — you have a duty to check.

Importers, manufacturers, and suppliers also have duties under Section 6 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to provide adequate information about the risks of their products and the controls required. If you are supplying engineered stone into any part of the supply chain, that obligation sits with you.

Three things to do today

• If your operations or contractors involve engineered stone, review your COSHH assessment immediately. Confirm wet cutting is the method in use. If your assessment still permits dry cutting, it needs to be updated now — not when an inspector arrives.
• Check your health surveillance records. Are workers who handle engineered stone enrolled in a programme? Have they been assessed recently? An incurable occupational disease is difficult to defend against when you haven't been monitoring the people most at risk.
• Talk to your suppliers. Engineered stone with lower silica content is available at comparable quality. HSE has confirmed this removes any reason not to switch. If you're still using high-silica material, ask why.