Stone cleaning is not the controversial subject it once was but it still requires the right equipment and the right skills.

Like a lot of aspects of stone care and conservation, stone cleaning is better understood now than it was in the past and the products available for carrying out the work are better than they have ever been.

Detail lost by aggressive grit blasting and façades discoloured by the use of inappropriate chemicals are (hopefully) consigned to the past. Research has shown that stone cleaning is not the enemy of stone it was once thought to be, especially sandstone.

However, cleaning stone still needs to be carried out by trained and skilled operatives to achieve the required results, but that is understood by the companies that specialise in stone cleaning.

Stone is, of course, used in many different applications, from worktops, floors, bathrooms and feature walls in domestic and commercial interiors to historical façades and memorials and monuments.

There tends to be different companies specialising in the different areas with their own specialist machines and chemicals, such as machines that use abrasives for cleaning and polishing floors and environmentally friendly chemicals for cleaning headstones without killing the surrounding grass and flowers.

The most visible form of stone cleaning that has the biggest impact on an area is when a façade is cleaned, often in association with stone repairs being carried out, further enhancing the impact.

The two companies that have had the biggest impact on façade cleaning are Restorative Techniques and Stonehealth. Both offer superheated water cleaning systems (ThermaTech from Restorative Techniques and Doff from Stonehealth) and gentle abrasive cleaning equipment (Torc from Stonehealth and VorTech from Restorative Techniques). They also sell various other specialist cleaning products such as latex for removing carbon deposits, poultices for drawing out stains, and various chemicals for specific cleaning applications and for protecting stone (for example against graffiti) to make it easier to clean in future.

Both these companies offer training on the use of their equipment, maintain registers of those companies that have been trained in their use for the benefit of those looking for specialists to carry out the work, and act as consultants, analysing contaminants and deposits on stonework (including paint) and advising on the best way to remove them.

Both companies also sell their products abroad and Stonehealth has recently been in Canada training lecturers at a College in Ontario how to use the Doff and Torc machines they have bought, so the lecturers can pass on the knowledge to students. MD James Diamond says he would like to use the weakness of the pound against the dollar as leverage into the USA market as well.

Restorative Techniques has lately opened a modern new laboratory at its headquarters near Bristol. It says an understanding of chemistry is fundamental to a scientific approach to the conservation and restoration of built heritage assets. The new laboratory will guide the selection of appropriate surface treatments and the formulation of remedial chemical products for specific conservation issues, from sulphation to graffiti.

Chemical analysis is also used to establish the original formulae used in antique paint and to colour-match it with new paint. For example, when the iron bridge that gives Ironbridge in Telford its name was renovated, samples of paint from deep beneath more recent layers were analysed in order to repaint the bridge to its original colour scheme.

Restorative Techniques says chemistry has guided its product research and development for many years and is fundamental to the formulation of its growing line of proprietary chemical products.

Nevertheless, the physical cleaning equipment is still a major part of the company’s repertoire, such as the ThermaTech system used by Stonewest for cleaning 1 Derby Gate in Westminster, London, pictured on the previous page.

It is a Grade II* listed ornate stone building forming part of the same Northern Estate of the Houses of Parliament where it is proposed the House of Commons should sit while the Palace of Westminster is being renovated (and Restorative Techniques’ products, including ThermaTechs, have been widely used for the ongoing maintenance of the Palace of Westminster).

At 1 Derby Gate, a grandiose Italianate palazzo built of Portland limestone in 1864-66 as a gentlemen’s club and now, in conjunction with the adjacent former 45 and 46 Parliament Street, used by the House of Commons as a satellite library service, Stonewest was contracted to clean and repair the stonework. Stonewest worked alongside principal designer BDP, principal contractor Wates Construction and quantity surveyor WSP & Gleeds.

The Heritage Statement in the planning application for permission to carry out work on Richmond House and neighbouring properties in Parliament Street and Whitehall to temporarily accommodate Members of Parliament when work begins on the major refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster identifies 1 Derby Gate as of ‘the highest significance’.

Stonewest was tasked with the extensive cleaning and repair of the intricate stonework of the building, which included chimneys and carved embellishments (a lion’s head at high level, beneath the coping and console brackets along the cornice).

ThermaTech’s super-heated water provided the delicate touch the cleaning required. Impressively, the Stonewest team was also able to salvage enough stone from the North East chimney that had to be dismantled and rebuilt for all the indents to the façades and the majority of other chimney repairs.

Before work started, Stonewest was engaged to advise on and carry out cleaning exemplars to establish appropriate specifications to achieve the light touch level of cleaning desired. Stonewest was then engaged to carry out the cleaning and repairs.

The cleaning was not all on the exteriors. Stonewest also cleaned and repaired a granite staircase and walls dating from the 1860s.

When it comes to interiors there is no shortage of chemicals to clean, enhance and seal natural and engineered stone surfaces, including porcelains, which are continuing to take market share in both interiors and exteriors.

And there are more chemicals for cleaning and protecting exterior stone these days, like those from Dry-Treat used to clean the stone sculptures pictured below. Dry-Treat products are sold under the name of Stain-Proof and it was Stain-Proof’s SMC Peroxide Cleaner, previously known as Dry Treat Stone & Masonry Cleaner, that was used to clean these sculptures.

Stain-Proof and are sold in the UK by Advanced Stone & Masonry Supplies (ASM). SMC Peroxide Cleaner is for cleaning stubborn organic stains and deeply embedded dirt in porous stone and masonry using a deep, penetrating, foaming lifting action.

It is mildly alkaline with a pH of 7.5, so can be safely used on any stone, quickly lifting dirt and algae from stonework. And once cleaned, the stone can be sealed with Stain-Proof Premium Impregnating Sealer, which is invisible and breathable, for long lasting protection.

Another range comes from Ecoprotec, to which the latest addition is Black Spot & Algae Remover.

The new acid-free, ready-to-use treatment safely removes stubborn stains and slippery residue, restoring the performance and aesthetic of natural stone, concrete, brick and porcelain. 

The treatment is ideal for deep cleaning new and existing paths, patios, terraces and driveways in residential and commercial settings.

Made in the UK, Black Spot & Algae Remover targets organic residues, including black spot, white spot, lichen, moss, algae and other stains caused by damp leaf matter. Treatment in the autumn, in particular, breaks down microspores and hyphae before they can colonise the surface. 

The product is applied neat to swept surfaces with a plastic watering can or a light pressure garden spray. It fizzes, but not because it is dissolving stone. The formula breaks down residue in 2-4 hours and its bleaching action removes stains. Surfaces should then be hosed down with clean water. 

Ecoprotec Black Spot & Algae Remover can be used on dry and slightly damp surfaces and should be applied when there is the expectation of a few hours of fair weather. 

Following treatment, natural stone surfaces can be protected with Ecoprotec Patio Sealer, while the Ecoprotec Pre Grout Protection barrier treatment is recommended for matt porcelain pavers. Both protect the surface without altering its appearance. They prevent moisture and organic particles from being absorbed into the surface, reducing staining and the spread of algae, mould and black spot. 

Developed for the contract and landscape sectors, the Ecoprotec range includes surface treatments for all types of tile and stone. The new Ecoprotec website (www.ecoprotec.co.uk) presents the exterior range as a separate category from interior treatments and includes a library of supporting technical material.

Mapei UltraCare – a complete protection & maintenance solution

A good protection and maintenance regime ensures a stone surface retains its natural aesthetic and performance characteristics. To simplify each step and ensure every type of material and finish is correctly maintained, Mapei has developed its UltraCare range of cleaners and protectors.

Formulated in the Mapei Research Laboratories and designed for both professionals and end-users, the range provides a solution from installation to the protection and maintenance of surfaces in private, commercial and industrial settings.

Mapei’s UltraCare cleaners are tailored to individual characteristics of surfaces, whether they are acid sensitive, acid resistant, polished or unpolished. Each formulation provides a safe and easy-to-use solution for diverse sites, whether new installations or renovations.  

For acid-resistant surfaces such as granite and quartz, Mapei UltraCare Acid Cleaner and UltraCare Keranet are ideal for a builders clean and stain removal. Both safely remove fixing residue (including cementitious grout), organic dirt, salt, limescale and efflorescence. 

The ‘buffered’ formulations do not emit fumes, so they are safe for the applicator and the environment and will not cause damage to stainless steel or aluminium profiles.

The range also includes Mapei UltraCare Keranet Easy, a ready-to-use spray that can be used as soon as grout becomes opaque, which saves a lot of waiting.

To deep clean unpolished natural stone before is it sealed, there is UltraCare HD Cleaner, an alkaline formulation that breaks down organic dirt. It can be used to restore a stone floor’s slip resistance as well as its aesthetic.  Outdoors, it also tackles the removal of moss and algae and is effective as a remover for water-based and metalized waxes.

Once a stone surface has been sealed it should be cleaned with a pH-neutral product like diluted Mapei UltraCare Multicleaner. The dilution can be adjusted for a builders clean to remove dirt and grout residue from an installation and for periodic deep cleaning of polished natural stone, although it should be rinsed off afterwards.

For ongoing cleaning, ready-to-use UltraCare Multicleaner Spray is ideal for treated surfaces, especially natural stone in showers and wet areas, vanity units and worktops. It is safe to use on acid-resistant stone that has been treated with a protector.

Mapei’s range of UltraCare protectors completes the company’s maintenance range, meeting specific requirements, from colour enhancing and providing water and oil-repellent protection to the protection of tiles before grouting. The treatments are supplied ready to use and can be applied directly on to dry or slightly damp materials.

Water-based treatments in the UltraCare range include: Intensifier W high penetration colour enhancer and protector; Stain Protector W impregnator with a natural finish for unpolished surfaces; Stain Protector W Plus impregnator suitable for all finishes of natural stone, as well as terrazzo, agglomerates, brick, terracotta and polished porcelain; Grout Release, for use on porous material prior to fixing to protect against grout ingress and staining and on textured porcelain, where it acts as a sacrificial surface protector that promotes quick and easy removal of grout and installation residues; Grout Protector impregnator for use with cementitious grouts; Fuga Fresca Grout Refresh to rejuvenate the colour of cementitious grout joints in floors and walls.

UltraCare also includes two sol-vent-based treatments: Intensifier S high penetration colour enhancer and protector; Stain Protector S impregnator, providing protection and anti-stain properties with a natural finish.

Athena the cleaner

Athena Stonecare has established a business specialising in cleaning stonework like the marble floor pictured below, which was given a full restoration and polish by the company.

The clients were renovating the property and the marble floors throughout had seen better days. They asked Athena Stonecare if there was anything that could be done to return them to their original splendour.

At the initial site survey, Athena noted that there was significant lippage across the floor where the tiles had not been laid flat.

To re-polish a scratched or etched floor, diamond segments must be used to grind the surface. If tile edges are uneven the diamond segments will bounce over the lips and will be ineffective, so the floor was ground flat first, the clients having decided the investment in a full restoration was well worth it.

The grinding and resurfacing was carried out before new skirting boards were installed. This is always Athena’s preference when grinding floors as it enables the best finish possible to reach the edges and corners.

Using the Hypergrinder Titan and Levighetor the marble floor tiles were ground flush with the grout line. Seven stages of diamond abrasives (metal bonds, copper bonds and resin bonds) were used. When the rooms had been decorated the team returned to polish the floor using Klindex KP92 before rinsing and sealing with Fila MP90.

The main contractor contacted Athena afterwards to say: “Cannot get over how good the floor looks! Amazing job.”

Working magic on mosaics with Green Man Cleaning

An project by cleaning specialist Green Man Cleaning provided an opportunity to protect and enhance a magnificent mosaic floor in Frome Town Hall, in Somerset.

A building for the community, Frome Town Hall was constructed in 1892 in an Italian Renaissance style using local stone quarried in the Butts, along with Box Ground Bath Stone. Today, it retains many of its original features, including a mosaic floor that covers 80m2 in the entrance lobby.

Following an initial survey, Green Man Cleaning commenced works to remove a build-up of organic residue from the tile surfaces and matrix of low-lying grout lines. The floor was swept with a scissor mop and then cleaned with a Numatic rotary machine. This lifted and emulsified residue, which was then extracted and removed with a Numatic wet vac machine.

Green Man Cleaning used pressurised pump sprayers and jets, recovering water with the wet vac. This ensured removal of residue from the lower grout level, which can harbour dirt and grime. If sticky deposits are left they can attract dirt and create rapid re-soiling. The floor was left to dry overnight.

To enhance and protect the floor, Green Man Cleaning used LTP’s Ecoprotec Colour Enhancing Stone Sealer. A water-based impregnating treatment, the sealer enhances the natural finish, strongly repels water, oil and grease, and helps protect tiles against staining. 

Being a non-film forming impregnator, it allows the surface to breathe, which is particularly important in historic settings with no damp proof course. Moisture from the subfloor passes through to the surface. Trapping it beneath would cause a variety of moisture-related issues. 

Ecoprotec Colour Enhancing Stone Sealer is suitable for all types of natural and engineered stone. On textured surfaces, it is applied with either a roller or paint brush. The surface is left to dry for an hour, after which any visible residue is removed. Immediately after application the tiles look glossy, but once they have dried they return to their natural aesthetic. The colour enhancer brightens the colour tone without increasing reflectivety.

Jon Gardner, Director at Green Man Cleaning, said: “It was a privilege to be able to bring life and warmth back to this fabulous floor. Our methods and Ecoprotec’s sealer restored the mosaics to their best potential condition and provided essential protection. Achieving this with an environmentally friendly, non-toxic treatment protected the health & safety of our team, of the people that work and visit the town hall and the building’s fabric itself.”

With Stone Federation’s 2020 Natural Stone Awards presentation ceremony having to be an online event because of the Covid pandemic lockdowns, there was a heightened sense of anticipation about this year’s Awards presentation ceremony as it returned to London’s Leonardo Royal Tower Bridge Hotel on Friday (2 December), again attracting a capacity audience of 360.

You can see all the projects honoured in the Awards Souvenir Brochure that you can view and download at the bottom of this page.

Guest presenter of the Awards this time was architect and television presenter Charlie Luxton, pictured below at the Awards ceremony.

Charlie is a champion of the environment and communicates his enthusiasm for sustainable architecture and eco-friendly design on his television appearances, which began after he had achieved a first-class honours degree in Architecture at Oxford Brookes University and an MA at the Royal College of Art in London. His first television appearance saw him present Modern British Architects for Channel 5.

He has gone on to present Britain’s Hidden Heritage (BBC 1), Restored to Glory and Rebuilding The Past (BBC 2), Homes and Property (ITV), Supercommuters and World’s Weirdest Homes (Channel 4) and Build A New Life In The Country (Channel 5), although he also runs a 12-person architectural practice, which he said is harder than the TV appearances because “building is hard”.

Sometimes, said Charlie at the Awards ceremony, building seemed hard enough on its own without adding to its complexity by worrying about the environment, but Charlie said if we do not worry about the environment we are in danger of destroying our planetary life support systems – and, he said, life does frequently seem to cause its own demise.

“We are very poor at seeing the value of the big things,” he said. He told those at the Awards ceremony that buildings are at the heart of the climate challenge and “you lot are at the front of the spear on this one; your actions really count”.

He said Architects Journal had called for an honest discussion about the carbon footprints of materials we use in construction. Stone clearly had to be part of that discussion and Charlie spoke about how its use could reduce the embodied carbon content of construction, citing various studies and Amin Taha’s development at 15 Clerkenwell Close (you can read more about that and low carbon stone here).

“The most sustainable building is one that already exists,” said Charlie as he called on the government to remove the VAT penalty of renovation. Although the construction industry does recycle, he said it was often more accurately described as downcycling, with materials losing value in subsequent applications because they tended to be crushed or burnt.

From an architect’s point of view, he said it was important to design buildings with a view to how they would come apart at the end of their lives, so materials can be re-used in their existing forms without having to go through energy intensive transformations. He took the example of domestic glass recycling, asking why glass is crushed, heated and reformed when the jars and bottles could simply be re-used.

The looming recession was not going to make it easier to tackle climate change. “It’s going to be tough,” said Charlie, although a massive revolution was taking place in how buildings are designed and constructed. Everyone had to understand the role they can play in that revolution. “Crucially, we need to act,” he said.

Charlie shared the stage with Stone Awards stalwart sports presenter Jim Rosenthal. Usually the unseen Alan Dedicoat shares the presentation announcements with him, but (as Jim said) Alan had failed a late fitness test and the behind the scenes voice describing the winning projects this year was that of Steve Madden, another of the BBC ‘voices’.

Jim Rosenthal is, of course, a seasoned presenter and did an excellent job of hosting the 2020 Natural Stone Awards online. In fact, Stone Federation took some of what it had learned from going online last time forward to the latest presentation. But nothing beats a live event and the industry was glad to play host to its clients, customers and colleagues at the presentation lunch, which is always a highlight of the stone industry calendar.

The Awards provide an opportunity for the professionals involved with the natural stone sector to join in the celebration of exemplary projects and the teams behind them.

You can see all the people and projects that won the Awards, or were Highly Commended or Commended, in the latest issue of Natural Stone Specialist magazine, in the centre of which are the winning projects in the Awards souvenir brochure. They are also available to download here and below.

The judges this year were: John Burton, Paul Gibson, Graham Lee, Ulrike Knox, Ingval Maxwell, Dr Vanessa Brady, Clara Willett, Adam White and Zac Tudor. The technical advisors were: Sean Collins, David Richardson and Dr Tim Yates.

An overall winner of the projects featured in this year’s Natural Stone Awards will be chosen in a ‘people’s choice’ vote that will take place between now and the Natural Stone Show, which returns to ExCeL London 6-8 June 2023. The winner will be announced during the exhibition.

The 2022 Natural Stone Awards enjoyed the support and sponsorship of a number of well-respected trade bodies and industry firms including Hardscape, Historic England, Marshalls, Sandberg, SBID, Schluter-Systems, Welsh Slate, Natural Stone Specialist magazine and the Natural Stone Show.

A message from Jane Buxey, Chief Executive of Stone Federation

The Natural Stone Awards are an excellent opportunity to celebrate the very best that the natural stone industry has to offer, and this year is no exception.

The Judges were impressed to see that the industry appears as strong as ever despite the adversity it has gone through. The project entries came from all parts of the UK and showcased excellent uses of natural stone across the different sectors of the industry.

The Awards Judges, a mix of renowned architects and stone industry professionals, were joined this year by four guest Judges, all experts within their respective fields who helped create an even stronger panel.

The Judges were pleased to see that, in most entries, alongside an innovative design approach and creative use of the material was a good demonstration of the fundamentals of best practice. They also noted the increased awareness of inclusivity and accessibility in designs.

However, there were, unfortunately, still projects where correct stone selection and basic design principles had not been followed, resulting in potentially impressive projects missing the mark.

The number of projects featuring a mixture of traditional stonemasonry and CNC machinery is a good example of the intelligent approach taken by the sector in embracing innovation while maintaining the skills that form the bedrock of this industry.

As specifiers become increasingly aware that a ‘business as usual’ approach to the carbon impacts of construction is no longer an option, there is a fresh drive to consider and reduce the whole-life carbon impact of a building, either through retrofitting or using a lower carbon material such as natural stone.

It has been encouraging to see the number of projects utilising the UK’s indigenous stones, which sits alongside the ongoing efforts by bodies such as Historic England to see our historic, smaller quarries given the support required to extract these historically significant materials for use in modern day restoration.

I would like to congratulate all those involved with successful projects for their part in the creation of these truly stunning natural stone projects.

Jane Buxey, Chief Executive,
Stone Federation Great Britain.

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has published a new 48-page, A4 size information booklet called Controlling exposure to stone dust.

It carries the same reference number, HSG201, as Controlling exposure to stonemasonry dust: Guidance for Employers published in 2001, which it replaces.

You can buy it online here at a price of £18. It should be essential reading for anyone processing natural or engineered stone, especially materials with a high crystalline silica content such as granite, slate, sandstone, engineered quartz and porcelain.

It has been produced with contributions from the stoneworking industry and includes the HSE’s latest updated guidance relating to the risks from exposure to stone dust and the measures required to control them.

The latest in marble look ceramics from CRL Stone comes in MDi (Minerals, Design, innovation) surfaces from Spanish company Inalco, available exclusively from CRL in the UK.

These 20mm thick large format (1600mm x 3200mm) slabs are said to be eco-friendlier, thanks to water-based inks and glazes, the use of 35-45% recycled materials and 100% re-use of water, saving up to 10million litres of it a year (compared with using it once only). Nearly all the waste involved in its manufacture is also recycled.

Inalco is in Alcora, a Spanish town with a long tradition of making pottery and made particularly famous by the Royal Porcelain & Pottery Factory that opened there in the 18th century.

The body of the MDi material colour matches the surface decoration to provide visual continuity, while the veining is on the sides as well as the surfaces.

CRL Stone says its new products, produced exclusively for it by Inalco, respond to the trend for nature-inspired surfaces in kitchen design with “beautiful, bold patterning” that “exudes a timeless elegance that enables the surface to integrate seamlessly into any setting”.

In fact, says CRL, all the advantages that make the surface so suitable for use in the kitchen also make it ideal for use in bathrooms and outside.

Style-wise, creating a monochrome effect in the modern home is just one of its possibilities. The intense white background meets deep, bold, contrasting veining that looks stunning over large areas of worktops and splashbacks. But it can also be used in conjunction with contrasting shades to move up a gear.

www.crlstone.co.uk

There are more than 2million CSCS cards in circulation and 70,000 of them will expire in 2024 because the industry accreditation route that led to them being issued is no longer accepted. Holding a card now requires a qualification, which for many people means an NVQ or SVQ.

The industry accreditation route to the card was introduced when the Construction Skills Certification Scheme was created in 1995, so that those working in the industry who were considered capable of doing the work did not have to go through the process of obtaining a qualification, especially those in specialist areas such as stonemasonry. But in future they will have to and time is running out for people to obtain that qualification in order to retain a card before all the industry accreditation cards are withdrawn in September 2024.

The message is not new. The industry has been told for several years that the industry accreditation route is ending and the cards issued under it will be withdrawn – but there are still 70,000 of them in use.

That was why the message was reiterated by Gordon Jenkins from CSCS at the Natural Stone Industry Training Group (NSITG) meeting that followed the AGM on 22 November, all online, as is now standard for the group.

Gordon said his previous boss had described industry accreditations as being for “the old and the bold”. They are often known as ‘grandfather rights’, which Gordon said managed to be both ageist and sexist.

However, industry accredited cards are predominantly held by men over 50. And there is a concern that when industry accreditation cards are withdrawn, those holding them will also withdraw from the industry, which is undesirable when companies are already facing skills shortages.

Gordon Jenkins said that in the stone sector ‘grandfather rights’ had come through what was called managed industry accreditation, which was itself quite a detailed process to go through. He said the alternative of obtaining a vocational qualification (VQ) through OSAT (on site accreditation and training) will continue, but CSCS is working with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) to develop a process to make obtaining a VQ even easier and more efficient for those with proven work experience.

He said: “There’s this myth that you have to go back to college. That’s not what this is about.”

Gordon pointed out that it is not only NVQs that qualify people for CSCS cards. Apprenticeships and City & Guilds are also valid, although not everyone has retained their certificates or finds it easy to lay their hands on evidence showing the training they went through. And City & Guilds does not have comprehensive records of everyone who ever obtained its certificates.

For those who do need to obtain an NVQ or SVQ, age should not be a barrier. Gordon said one person who had obtained an NVQ in order to renew his card was 72.

Gordon pointed out that CSCS cards are not a mandatory requirement, although developers and contractors are at liberty to restrict site access to those who hold them and to restrict certain activities to those who hold appropriate cards showing relevant qualifications.

NSITG members also heard from Steve Farrow of apprenticeship training agency (ATA) Evolve Apprentices. Steve conceded that ATAs do not have a great reputation, but said they work well in construction.

He said ‘diversity’ is a term frequently used to encourage businesses to recruit and employ people from outside their traditional pool of labour and Evolve Apprentices is working towards increasing diversity in construction.

It employes 50 apprentices in London and the West Midlands and 67% of them do not describe themselves as ‘white British’.

Evolve had identified areas where there is a shortage of apprentices, which include the stone industry, especially in the heritage sector, and roofing.

A problem is that many companies operating in these sectors do not have projects lasting long enough to cover an apprenticeship and are reluctant to take on apprentices that they might not be able to keep fully employed.

However, they can be obliged by Section 106 agreements to provide employment and skills initiatives on a project, so Evolve’s solution is to employ the apprentices itself and fit them into various projects as required.

If there is no job to move them on to, Evolve will continue to employ them until one becomes available so that the apprenticeship continues. It also takes responsibility for them when they are attending college courses.

Steve said Evolve covers its costs of paying the apprentices, providing personal protective equipment (apart from site requirements such as hard hats), and its administration fees by charging the host companies that offer the apprentices positions.

If the host company wants to be sure an apprentice will fit in, work experience and trial periods can be arranged. Otherwise, placements normally last between three and 12 months.

Michelle Turner, who Chairs the NSITG, said after hearing Steve’s presentation: “It sounds a really great scheme.” Steve said it was proving a successful way of recruiting people into the sector.

Stone companies are once again reminded of the need to assess, monitor and reduce the risk of employees' exposure to vibration injuries when using power tools. 

This reminder comes as a health board in Wales, responsible for looking after people’s health, is fined £160,000 for exposing its own workers to vibration injuries that led to three cases of Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS).

An investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found the health board had even ignored requests from its own occupational health department to conduct an assessment of the risks being faced by employees, who routinely operated handheld power tools such as lawnmowers, strimmers and hedge cutters for several hours a day, particularly during the summer.

The health board had not carried out any assessment of the risks its employees faced. There was no monitoring nor any estimate of exposure levels. Information, instruction and training given was also minimal.

Some of the employees had been operating power tools for several decades when three of them were diagnosed as suffering from Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS).

Powys Teaching Health Board of Glasbury House, Bronllys Hospital, Bronllys, Powys, Wales, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 when it appeared before Wrexham Magistrates on 22 November. As well as being fined £160,000 it was ordered to pay costs of £5,599.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Joe Boast said: “This was a case of the health board completely failing to grasp the importance of managing its staff’s exposure to vibration while using handheld power tools.

“Employers should conduct a full assessment of the vibration magnitude and exposure duration before reviewing whether employees are at risk. There is a simple online calculator to help employers complete this process.

“If the health board had followed the free guidance, it would not have exposed employees to risk and possibly have prevented the ill health that has been suffered.”

HSE’s hand-arm vibration exposure calculator can be found here along with more advice on controlling exposure to the risk of vibration injuries. 

hse.gov.uk

Australia has always been hot on tackling the danger of inhaling respirable crystalline silica (RCS) while processing engineered quartz, and now a union is calling on the government to ban it altogether.

Zach Smith , the incoming National Secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining & Energy Union (CFMEU) has said if the federal government does not ban production, importation and use of engineered stone by July 2024, it will ban its members from handling it.

"This product is killing workers and the reality is Australian workers will keep dying unless we ban engineered stone," he told Australia’s ABC News.

Supporting the call is Kyle Goodwin, who was a fit, young worker in a stone worktop company in 2004. Now he's a 37-year-old with silicosis who can't go for a walk without getting out of breath. "You're just suffocating slowly,” he says.

Four years ago he was told he had five years to live. Now he wants the engineered stone he spent many years working to be banned. "This is a preventable illness and we need to make sure that it does not continue to happen," he said.

In 2021 a report by Australia’s National Dust Disease Taskforce said nearly one in four workers exposed to silica dust from engineered stone before 2018 has been diagnosed with silicosis.

The report said existing workplace health & safety regulations had not protected stonemasons and recommended further safety measures should be imposed, although it stopped short of calling for the product to be banned.

Zach Smith says he knows of a number of workplaces that have followed best practice to manage the risk of exposure to silica dust but cases of silicosis have still arisen.

Kate Cole, the President of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists, likens the risk of exposure to silica to that of asbestos and supports the call for banning products containing high levels of crystalline silica.

Chris Churm, the new Managing Director of landscape product company Marshalls' Landscape Protection business, is working with experts in the company's team to ensure it can offer a range of products to meet the requirements of the Protect Duty expected to become law next year.

Also known as Martyn’s Law, the Protect Duty will require the owners of publicly accessible areas to implement protective measures to mitigate against the threat of terrorist attacks.

It earned the name of Martyn's Law as a result of the attack on the Manchester Arena during an Ariana Grande concert in 2017. The name refers to Martyn Hett, one of the victims of the attack where a suicide bomber killed 22 people and injured hundreds more.

Chris Churm says: “Protect Duty is also an important topic in our industry right now. The new legislation expected to come into force in 2023 is one of our priorities and we are working with the experts in our team to ensure that our product range offers suitable solutions to meet requirements.”

To go to the section of Marshalls website dealing with Landscape Protection and street furniture, click here. 

Chris Churm was appointed Managing Director of Marshalls Landscape Protection in June, also becoming MD of Marshalls Natural Stone. He has taken responsibility for the day-to-day management and trading performance of the two business areas of the leading landscape company.  

Chris joined Marshalls in 2006 and has worked across the company in various roles, most recently as Trading Director responsible for the company's business with domestic installers, including responsibility for Marshalls' Register of Accredited Landscape Contractors.

Before that his roles included Commercial Regional Trading Manager, engaging with specifiers and commercial contractors across all Marshalls' catalogues, and National Accounts Director, managing sales teams focused on builders merchants.

Commenting on his latest promotion, Chris said: “I am delighted to be working in this role, which covers our Landscape Protection and Natural Stone businesses. With the support of a fantastic team, we have already begun to develop the business areas further.

"In terms of Landscape Protection, we have placed a focus on supporting those responsible for the safety and design of the public realm with our vast portfolio of protective and non-protective street furniture, post and rail and active travelling products.

"Additionally, our stone business gives me the opportunity to work with colleagues and customers to really develop our total value proposition across Marshalls’ portfolio of beautiful and technically outstanding ranges."