The Health and Safety Executive made a significant announcement today that every contractor working with engineered stone needs to hear: dry cutting is over. Not discouraged. Not frowned upon. Over.
HSE has published its first-ever COSHH guidance sheet specifically for engineered stone, and it is unambiguous. Wet suppression is now confirmed as the legal standard. More than 1,000 inspections are already underway across fabricators in Great Britain, and they will continue through 2026/27. If your team cuts engineered stone worktops — kitchens, bathrooms, commercial fit-outs — this affects you directly.
Why HSE Has Acted Now
Two young workers have died from silicosis in recent years after working with engineered stone. Not older workers with decades of exposure. Young workers. And unlike natural stone, where silica-related disease typically takes decades to develop, engineered stone can cause silicosis in a matter of months.
The reason is the material itself. Engineered stone — the quartz composite used in the majority of modern kitchen and bathroom worktops — can contain up to 95% crystalline silica. When you dry cut it, you release respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust that is invisible to the naked eye. It travels deep into the lungs. It causes irreversible damage. And critically, workers can suffer permanent lung damage before they experience a single symptom. By the time they feel ill, it is often too late.
HSE's two-year research programme found that dry fabrication typically results in silica exposure five to ten times higher than wet methods using equivalent tools. That is not a marginal difference. That is the difference between a controlled risk and a death sentence.
What the Law Now Requires
HSE's new COSHH guidance for engineered stone sets out four non-negotiable requirements.
Switch to low-silica engineered stone. HSE has confirmed that lower-content silica engineered stone is available at equivalent quality. There is no longer any justification for using high-silica products.
Use on-tool water suppression. This must be used during all cutting operations. It is not optional. It is not a best practice recommendation. It is a legal requirement.
Control mist and provide RPE. Even with water suppression, appropriate respiratory protective equipment must be provided and worn. Mist from wet cutting still carries risk if not properly managed. Minimum standard is FFP3 — not a dust mask from the van.
Carry out regular health surveillance. Workers must be monitored. Lung function checks. Regular reviews. If a worker is developing silicosis, you need to know before it becomes irreversible.
These requirements sit under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH). They are not new laws — but HSE has now made the expectations explicit, and inspectors are coming to check compliance.
What This Means for Your COSHH Assessments
If your team works with engineered stone and your COSHH assessments do not specifically address respirable crystalline silica, water suppression, RPE selection, and health surveillance — they are not fit for purpose.
A generic "dust" entry is not sufficient. HSE inspectors will be looking for substance-specific assessments that demonstrate you understand the hazard, have selected appropriate controls, and are monitoring worker health.
Your COSHH assessment for engineered stone should cover the specific substance and its silica content, the route of exposure during cutting and grinding, the full control hierarchy from product substitution through to health surveillance, the RPE specification at minimum FFP3, and your health surveillance arrangements including frequency and what is being measured.
If you do not have this documented, you are exposed — legally and practically.
The Inspection Programme: What to Expect
HSE's 1,000+ inspection programme is targeting fabricators across Great Britain. Inspectors are already visiting sites. The programme runs through 2026/27, which means this is not a one-week blitz — it is a sustained enforcement campaign.
HSE Deputy Director Mike Calcutt was direct: "Those who are cutting corners are not just putting their workers at risk — they are undercutting the businesses doing things properly. We will create a level playing field."
Enforcement action will be taken against those failing to meet the required standards. That means improvement notices, prohibition notices, and prosecution. For a business with a turnover above £10 million, a Category A offence under the Sentencing Guidelines can result in a fine exceeding £4 million.
If You Are a Principal Contractor
Even if your own workforce does not cut engineered stone, you have responsibilities. If a sub-contractor on your site is installing worktops, you are responsible for coordinating their COSHH controls under CDM. Ask for their COSHH assessment before they start. Confirm wet suppression is in place. Make sure your own operatives are not working in the same area during cutting operations.
Document that you checked. A note in the site H&S file showing you reviewed the sub's COSHH assessment and confirmed controls were in place is exactly the evidence that protects you if HSE visits.
Get Your COSHH Documentation Right
Getting your COSHH documentation in order is straightforward with the right tools. A properly structured COSHH assessment template guides you through every section — substance identification, exposure routes, control measures, RPE selection, health surveillance, and emergency procedures.
SafetyPod's COSHH Assessment Template is built to the HSE standard, covers all eight required sections including GHS pictograms and EH40 reference values, and can be completed and branded for your company in minutes.
View the COSHH Assessment Template — £3.99 →
For contractors working specifically with engineered stone, the HSE has also introduced a legal ban on dry cutting. This has direct implications for COSHH assessments and on-site controls. See our detailed guide on the HSE ban on dry cutting of engineered stone for a full breakdown of what needs to change in your COSHH documentation.
Further Reading
- HSE COSHH Guidance for Engineered Stone
- HSE Press Release — 11 May 2026
SafetyPod provides HSE-compliant health and safety templates for UK contractors. All templates are written by qualified H&S professionals and updated to reflect current legislation and guidance.