A natural stone specialist has been fined for failing to protect workers from the risk of cancer resulting from exposure to respirable silica dust, despite a previous warning.

Teesdale Architectural Stone Ltd (TASL) was in court on 12 May facing prosecution by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) for failings identified in an inspection of its Barnard Castle premises on 16 October 2012.

Darlington Magistrates’ Court heard that exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS), which can cause fatal lung diseases, was not being adequately controlled.

The court was told that a previous inspection in 2007 identified similar concerns and that TASL had been given advice on suitable control measures it should take. But HSE said little action had been taken to improve the control measures in order to reduce exposure. Health surveillance on employees had been carried out once in 2007 but no further health surveillance was provided for employees exposed to RCS.

The 2012 inspection also identified that equipment was not maintained in efficient working order, in good repair and was not clean.

TASL, of Harmire Road, Barnard Castle, County Durham, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 7(1)* of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (Coshh) Regulations 2002. It was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £2,525.40 in costs.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Sal Brecken said: "Cutting stone can cause a lot of dust, which, if it is not controlled, can cause serious health effects, the most serious being silicosis, which, in its most acute form, can be fatal.

“There is plenty of guidance available for stonemasons to help them improve existing control measures. There is no need to become ill through work activities and there is no excuse for companies not following the guidance. Teesdale Architectural Stone Ltd should have done more following the guidance offered to them by the HSE in 2007.”

Click here for more information about the control of substances hazardous to health (Coshh).

*Regulation 7(1) of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 states: “Every employer shall ensure that the exposure of his employees to substances hazardous to health is either prevented or, where this is not reasonably practicable, adequately controlled.”