Click here to register to attend Stone Digital: Shaping a Sustainable Future to explore and contribute to the future of the stone industry

With the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, the world’s attention was turned to climate change, carbon reduction and sustainability. That ought to be good news for the natural stone industry as the supplier of one of the most sustainable, lowest carbon construction products there is.

On 22 & 23 February, Stone Digital is bringing the industry together to explore the possibilities and opportunities as we help the world achieve its Net Zero targets.

Natural dimensional stone already plays a major part in construction as walling and cladding, roofing, paving and other hard landscaping, worktops, vanity units, floors and wall linings, furniture and sculpture. It’s use for new build as well as renovation work has grown significantly since the turn of the millennium as its natural aesthetic has become increasingly appreciated.

Part of the attraction has resulted from the development and modernisation of the stone industry in the UK and around the world, with increasingly sophisticated machinery, communications and collaboration. There has been – and continues to be – an explosion of innovations and ideas.

Just how much the industry is changing can be lost in the day-to-day battle to keep up. But if the Covid-19 lockdowns taught us anything, it was the benefit of stepping back and taking a look at what we are doing and what we need to be doing to face the future.

That is the aim of the two-day online Stone Digital seminar Shaping a Sustainable Future.

This is a new, high-level online event for the stone industry to discuss topics such as how to meet and benefit from the requirements of Net Zero carbon emissions and the continuing evolution of the digitalisation of construction.

The industry is undoubtedly changing at a rapid pace. Taking time to understand and explore those changes and the opportunities they bring will help companies identify paths to future prosperity.

Stone Digital – Shaping a Sustainable Future is presented by the organisers of the Natural Stone Show & Hard Surfaces, which will be back on their two-yearly schedule in ExCeL London 18-20 April 2023, and Stone Federation Great Britain.

The event will be anchored by professional broadcaster and sustainability commentator Susannah Streeter (BBC Breakfast News).

As the Stone / Hard Surfaces exhibitions are not being held this year, there are also opportunities for companies to sponsor this event online.

For details, email stonedigital@qmj.co.uk or call Charlotte on 0115 945 4376. A dedicated account manager will be available to assist you with your content and any other queries you may have.

Jane Buxey, CEO of Stone Federation, says: “Stone Federation are delighted to be supporting Stone Digital. We encourage all those in the natural stone sector to take advantage of the opportunities that Stone Digital will provide.”

Richard Bradbury, Managing Director of QMJ Group, which runs the stone exhibitions in London, says: “Decarbonisation and digitalisation will transform the stone industry over the next decade. Join us at Stone Digital in February to explore the opportunities these changes are bringing.”

Themes of Stone Digital –Shaping a Sustainable Future

• Sustainability – in it together: The benefits of a collaborative approach to whole-life sustainable construction.
• Sustainability in planning – the beauty of better buildings: Making the most of changes to the planning framework.
• Sustainability through retrofit: Re-purposing existing buildings rather than demolishing and rebuilding.
• Responsible sourcing – tackling modern slavery & supply chain management: Kicking out exploitation.
• Innovation for sustainable design – developments in how stone is used: Post-tensioning, lightweight frames, offsite manufacture can all help make stone more attractive to developers.
• Innovation for sustainable design – back to basics: Re-thinking how stone is used to cut carbon and costs.
• The Digitalisation of stone: When it comes to computers don’t blink, or you’ll miss the next breakthrough.
• The right stone for the job: All stone is good stone as long as it is used properly. So make sure you get the right stone for the job.

From April, regulations change to make employers responsible for providing personal protective equipment (PPE), such as hard hats, hi-vis jackets and steel toecap boots, to casual workers as well as their PAYE employees.

Casual workers are described in the regulations as 'Limb B' workers. 

These are people who:

• carry out casual or irregular work for one or more organisations
• after a month of continuous service receive holiday pay but not other employment rights such as the minimum period of statutory notice
• only carry out work if they choose to
• have a contract or other arrangement to do work or services personally for a reward (the contract doesn’t have to be written) and only have a limited right to send someone else to do the work, for example swapping shifts with someone on a pre-approved list (sub-contracting)
• are not in business for themselves (they do not advertise services directly to customers who can then also book their services directly)

As every employment relationship will be specific to the individual and employer, the precise status of any worker can ultimately only be determined by a court or tribunal if it comes to a dispute.

People who are self-employed or have set hemselves up as a company will remain responsible for their own PPE.

The new Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (PPER 2022) come into force on 6 April. They are explained on the Health & Safety Executive website here.

Apart from the amendment making employers responsible for the provision of PPE for casual workers, the 1992 PPE Regulations (PPER 1992) remain the same.

The change follows a High Court judgement in 2020 making it clear the regulations should apply to casual workers. That judgement was followed by a consultation in the summer last year, when the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) made it clear that the High Court judgement meant the regulations would have to be amended.