Stone masony manufacturer fined for dust exposure
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A stone masonry company and products manufacturer and its director have been fined £19,000 after repeatedly failing to protect workers from exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS).
In May 2023, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted several inspections at Warmsworth Stone Limited’s site in Thurnscoe, South Yorkshire. The company specializes in producing carved stone masonry products from materials such as limestone, sandstone, granite, and marble.
As a result of these inspections, Warmsworth Stone Limited received seven improvement notices. These notices highlighted various health and safety deficiencies, including exposure to stone dust, inadequate control of legionella bacteria, and insufficient welfare facilities for workers.
Despite being granted an extension following an additional visit in August 2023, a follow-up inspection in September revealed that five of the seven improvement notices had not been addressed. This failure demonstrated the company’s reckless disregard for critical health and safety issues, particularly in the management and control of respirable dust. The overall standard of health and safety management at the site fell significantly short of legal requirements.
Workers at the site are at risk of exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) during the cutting, chiselling, and polishing of stone. Prolonged inhalation of RCS can lead to severe, irreversible health conditions, including silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer.
Following a hearing, HSE inspector Charlotte Bligh commented on the company’s management shortcomings: “The management responsible for health and safety lacked the necessary knowledge and competence to fulfill their legal responsibilities. Basic health measures had not been implemented, health risks were not assessed, and existing control measures were poorly maintained.”
Bligh further criticized the company for failing to proactively manage health and safety risks or seek appropriate guidance and advice to implement effective control measures.
Warmsworth Stone Limited of Doncaster pleaded guilty to multiple safety breaches. The company was fined £18,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,064. Additionally, Director Simon Jonathan Frith pleaded guilty, receiving a fine of £1,062 and being ordered to pay costs of £3,782.
