The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned quarrying companies and stonemasons of the risk workers face of contracting the potentially fatal disease silicosis aftert the COSHH risk assessment produced by their health & safety consultants was ignored.
The warning comes after Dunhouse Quarry Co Ltd of Staindrop, Darlington, County Durham was fined £3,750 after pleading guilty to breaching the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (CoSHH) Regulations 2002 by failing to ensure that employees' exposure to RCS was adequately controlled. The case was brought by HSE. The company was also ordered to pay costs of £8,177.40.
Following a routine, unannounced inspection HSE discovered that an employee had contracted silicosis and that a number of others had been exposed to levels of RCS in excess of the workplace exposure limit, part of the COSHH risk assessment process.
HSE Inspector Andrea Robbins said:
"Breathing in the very fine dust of crystalline silica can lead to the development of silicosis, which in its most acute form can result in premature death. It is vital employers monitor dust levels to assess the risk of exposure to RCS, and that they put control measures in place to reduce the levels to which employees are exposed, and consequently reduce their risk of developing silicosis.
"What makes this particular situation worse is that the company had previously commissioned the services of an external company to carry out atmospheric monitoring of dust levels, including RCS, but did nothing to act upon the findings despite one employee being exposed to levels up to 45 times the maximum exposure limit as it was then, which was three times higher than the current workplace exposure limit."
"This prosecution serves to publicise the need for employers to be vigilant in identifying substances which can affect their workers' health. In particular, companies which generate stone dust, which contains silica, must take precautions to protect the health of their employees. Trades most at risk include stonemasons and quarry workers."
Our experienced health & safety consultants can help you address these risks and implement the solutions within your health & safety policy and COSHH risk assessments quickly and effectively - ensuring that you won't make the same mistake. Call us on 01453 800100 to find out more.
