Two workers suffer long-term lung damage from silica exposure
February 10, 2010
A company has been fined £30,000 after two of its workers were left with potentially life-shortening lung diseases.
York Crown Court heard how two stonemasons who had been employed by William Anelay Limited for many years, fell ill after being exposed to uncontrolled levels of respirable crystalline silica, which is caused primarily by dry stone carving without extraction ventilation or use of protective equipment. The exposure occurred between May 1994 and July 2008.
The court heard how measures taken to protect employees were not adequate following the discovery of high levels of airborne silica which had been identified during a monitoring survery 14 years earlier.
The exposure has left both men have with long-term lung damage. One of the men has since been forced to take early retirement and the other man has been unable to return to work as a stonemason.
William Anelay Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. and was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay £6,000.
HSE Inspector Julian Franklin said: "The verdict shows that the working practices at William Anelay Ltd were inadequate and dangerous. During the investigation, HSE found that a combination of dry stone cutting with no ventilation or use of protective clothing resulted in the workers breathing in hazardous levels of respirable crystalline silica. This was allowed to happen for many years, which has meant that not only do both men have to cope with life-long, serious health issues which will affect them for the rest of their lives, their careers have also been affected.
"Had the company acted on the information they received after a survey in 1994, these men may not now be suffering from serious illnesses.
Inspector Frankling concluded: "I would like to remind employers working with silica-based materials such as limestone, cement, mortar and sandstone, that it is vital that they take the correct steps to prevent a similar situation."
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York Crown Court heard how two stonemasons who had been employed by William Anelay Limited for many years, fell ill after being exposed to uncontrolled levels of respirable crystalline silica, which is caused primarily by dry stone carving without extraction ventilation or use of protective equipment. The exposure occurred between May 1994 and July 2008.
The court heard how measures taken to protect employees were not adequate following the discovery of high levels of airborne silica which had been identified during a monitoring survery 14 years earlier.
The exposure has left both men have with long-term lung damage. One of the men has since been forced to take early retirement and the other man has been unable to return to work as a stonemason.
William Anelay Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. and was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay £6,000.
HSE Inspector Julian Franklin said: "The verdict shows that the working practices at William Anelay Ltd were inadequate and dangerous. During the investigation, HSE found that a combination of dry stone cutting with no ventilation or use of protective clothing resulted in the workers breathing in hazardous levels of respirable crystalline silica. This was allowed to happen for many years, which has meant that not only do both men have to cope with life-long, serious health issues which will affect them for the rest of their lives, their careers have also been affected.
"Had the company acted on the information they received after a survey in 1994, these men may not now be suffering from serious illnesses.
Inspector Frankling concluded: "I would like to remind employers working with silica-based materials such as limestone, cement, mortar and sandstone, that it is vital that they take the correct steps to prevent a similar situation."
Find out more about Risk Assessment
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