Worktops matter – here's what you need to know before choosing a fabricator

Now we all know about the tragic risks involved, there's no excuse for a lack of due diligence when it comes to worktops – Clare Howcutt-Kelly explains how to make sure you choose the right fabricator.

In 2024, worktops started getting more attention than ever before and while they say 'all publicity is good publicity', this certainly wasn’t.

Headlines started appearing in the national press with the words ‘killer worktops’ and ‘new asbestos’ and it was the first time many people had heard about the long-term lung disease silicosis. It has, however, been around for millennia and is the oldest known occupational lung disease.

Today there are – and will continue to be – shocking stories of people whose lives have been cut short by inhaling respirable crystalline silica (RCS) while fabricating worktops. It’s one of the most abundant minerals in the earth’s crust and can be found in a range of construction materials including natural stone and engineered stone and yet, only now are people starting to take it seriously.

Quartz is the most common form of RCS but it’s present in almost all types of rock in varying quantities, which means fabricators working with any materials containing RCS need to be adequately protected from the risks.

If you’re not involved in the fabrication process, you might be wondering how this affects you. Directly, it doesn’t. Indirectly, it most certainly does. Imagine you’ve met with a client who asks you to design their dream kitchen – the worktops need to be beautiful and durable. You specify a material that is both of those things and sustainable, too. The material goes directly to the fabricator you’ve always used. You’ve never visited the workshop but the client is always happy with the end result, as are you.

You can go on like this and you’ll still deliver beautiful work but if your chosen fabricator ends up in the news for failing to protect their workers following a visit from the Health & Safety Executive, it risks your reputation, too.

There’s a failsafe way to ensure this doesn’t happen to you and that’s to use a fabricator who doesn’t cut corners at the cost of their workforce so if you’ve never visited them, give them a call.

When you visit, ask questions. A good fabricator will welcome you and want to show off their premises. Firstly, trust your judgement. Is it clean and tidy? Would you be OK with someone you love working in those conditions? As a starter, you can ask if they have a written silica safety programme and what general work safety protocols they have in place.

For more peace of mind, you could opt to use a Worktop Fabricators Federation (WFF) member. This organisation represents businesses using industrial fabrication methods to manufacture large-format slabs for surfaces, made from natural stone and man-made materials. The objectives and goals are to promote professionalism across the surfaces and stonemasonry industries.

Choosing to use a WFF member for your project provides assurance that work will be carried out professionally and safely.

All members are audited and subject to rigorous assessment to ensure they meet the highest standards. This includes key areas – staff induction and ongoing training, correct PPE/RPE and work equipment, dust control/ventilation and chemical safety. Not only will you feel confident with your choice of fabricator but you’ll be better equipped to answer any questions your client asks about the process.

To learn more about the WFF or to find a member, visit: worktopfabricators.org

Clare Howcutt-Kelly is the communications officer for the Worktop Fabricators Federation (WFF) and can found on Instagram @clarehowcuttkelly