Several leading kitchen retailers, including Wren and Howdens, have committed to a new safety certification scheme aimed at protecting workers from the risks associated with cutting engineered stone worktops. The initiative, set to launch this week, introduces a quality mark designed to ensure that quartz slabs are cut using safe methods that minimize exposure to toxic silica dust.

The scheme, developed by the Worktop Fabricators Federation (WFF), which represents around 100 companies and accounts for more than 60 percent of the market, will involve regular inspections conducted by occupational hygiene experts registered with the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS). These inspections will verify that fabricators employ water suppression techniques to reduce the release of respirable crystalline silica (RCS), a hazardous dust found in manmade quartz that can contain silica levels of up to 95 percent.

Exposure to RCS has been linked to an alarming rise in cases of silicosis, a serious and potentially fatal lung disease. Since mid-2023, more than 50 workers—many in their 20s and 30s, with an average age of 43—have been diagnosed with the condition after working with engineered stone. At least four affected individuals have died, and three are awaiting lung transplants. The disease is characterized by accelerated lung damage caused by inhaling silica dust over prolonged periods.

The new safety mark responds to growing concerns spotlighted by recent media investigations into the dangers faced by stonemasons and kitchen fitters. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has described the scheme as “important” and “significant,” while medical professionals treating the UK’s first confirmed silicosis cases linked to engineered stone have welcomed the development.

Kevin Bampton, chief executive of the BOHS, praised the role of investigative reporting in prompting the scheme’s introduction, stating that it "will save lives" by preventing further cases of accelerated silicosis that have led to severe health outcomes, including emergency hospital admissions and lung transplants. He emphasized that the certification allows both the industry and consumers to make informed choices, ensuring products are handled safely without compromising worker health.

Participating retailers, initially comprising around half a dozen major brands, will publicly display the kitemark, signaling adherence to rigorous safety standards during the fabrication process. The scheme offers reassurance to homeowners commissioning kitchen renovations that their new worktops have been cut in compliance with best practices designed to eliminate hazardous dust exposure.