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uniteBUILDINGWORKER Comment
Jason Poulter National officer
UNITE ALWAYS AT THE HEART
HSE DUST WARNING
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a warning for companies installing stone worktops.
Updated guidance tells firms they must protect workers from exposure to stone dust and respirable crystalline silica (RCS) by putting in place ensure suitable controls.
Processing engineered stone by cutting, chiselling and polishing can put workers at risk of breathing in dust particles, which can cause respiratory disease including silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer.
Cases of silicosis linked to artificial stone cutting are rising and the HSE described silica dust as “the single biggest risk to construction workers after asbestos.”
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) recently called for a UK ban on the material, following the lead of other countries such as Australia which banned engineered stone from July last year.
The new HSE guidance for installers of stone worktops states:
• Installers should understand the risk from processing stone and how to use suitable controls
• Worktops should be prefabricated so further processing on site is avoided
• Water suppression or on-tool extraction with shroud and dust collector attached to an M-class vacuum should be used to control any dust generated
• Respiratory protective equipment with an assigned protection factor (APF) of at least 20 (eg FFP3 face mask) should be worn when processing the stone
• Cleaning should be by wet methods or dust class M vacuum to prevent creation of dust
The HSE’s guidance can be found on their Work Right page. The Unite silica dust campaign will be launching soon.
5 unite buildingWORKER Spring 2025
Late last year Unite was involved in ensuring that workers were front and centre as new regional Electrotechnical Training and Careers Alliances (ECTAs) began to be set up across the UK.
The first of these was launched in November in Greater Manchester, with another in Cardiff in late January. These ETCAs will bring together employers, skills providers and industry organisations – including Unite – to ensure proper levels of training are delivered to workers across the sector and start to fill the skills gap that would otherwise hold back plans for economic growth over the coming years.
Unite will continue to be at the heart of these Alliances representing our members in the electrical trades.
Also this year Unite will continue to collect data from members through surveys so that we have all the information we need to continue to negotiate decent pay rises and improved terms and conditions over 2025.
Unite will always fight for decent pay rises for members, like the Altrad Services workers at Sellafield. We will also ensure that NAECI pay rates keep up with costs – and continue to train senior reps through Unite Education courses such as the recent one in Eastbourne, to give convenors the skills to negotiate local agreements.
I hope you find the stories of campaigns and fellow members in this edition inspiring. 2025 looks to be an interesting year – but working together in solidarity with your union we will fight for better pay, safer workplaces and a brighter future.
Alamy
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