The government should consider a ban on artificial stone worktops after a rise in cases of an incurable disease linked to their manufacture, experts have said.
One leading medic has called for urgent action to protect workers who cut the material.
Kitchen worktops made from artificial stone are cheaper than natural stone such as granite or marble, but they contain significantly more silica.
According to experts, workers who cut the material could be inhaling high concentrations of silica dust, which could cause a fatal lung condition called silicosis.
The first UK case of the disease linked to cutting artificial stone, which is made of crushed rocks bound together with resins and pigments, was identified last year and medics have seen a subsequent rise in cases.
Experts have documented the first eight cases in the UK in a paper. The cases all involve men, with an average age of 34. Researchers said one had since died.
Dr Jo Feary, a consultant in occupational lung diseases at Royal Brompton hospital and the lead author of the paper, told PA Media: “I think there needs to be an urgent focus on this disease.”
“What’s really striking is it is affecting young people, in their 20s and 30s, and there’s no treatment for it … If they didn’t do their job, they wouldn’t have a disease, and it should be preventable. So we need urgent action.”
Engineered stone has been banned in Australia since July after a rise in silicosis cases.
The condition occurs when silica dust is inhaled, causing inflammation in the lungs and gradually leading to hardened and scarred tissue that is unable to function properly. This in turn can lead to a persistent cough, shortness of breath, weakness and tiredness.
It has no known cure – though some with the condition have received lung transplants – prompting researchers to say that prevention of the disease is critical.
Dr Christopher Barber, of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, said cases are expected to pose a significant challenge to doctors.
On a potential ban, he said that a change in the law in the 1920s “was successful in protecting the Sheffield cutlery workers” which led to the industry switching to silica-free grinding wheels.
Another study, led by Dr Patrick Howlett, a Medical Research Council clinical research fellow at Imperial College London, suggests that limiting exposure to silica dust could help.
“This research supports the reduction of permissible exposure limits over an eight-hour working shift,” he said. “Although lowering exposure limits across different settings is challenging, it has been shown to be achievable.
“We strongly believe it is important to reduce the number of silicosis cases, given the severity of the disease.”
A Health and Safety Executive spokesperson said: “Our sympathies are with those who have lost loved ones to any work-related disease.
“Great Britain has a robust and well-established regulatory framework in place to protect workers from the health risks associated with exposure to hazardous substances.
“We continue to work with industry to raise awareness of managing the risks of exposure to respirable crystalline silica and we are considering options for future interventions to ensure workers are protected.”
