Worktop safety: Why kitchen retailers and designers have a vital role to play

Specifying work surfaces can now literally be a matter of life and death – Clare Howcutt-Kelly, communications officer for the Worktop Fabricators Federation, explains how you can play your part.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – as it promised a couple of months ago – has started to make impromptu visits to fabricators and stonemasonry companies across the UK. Its primary reason is to keep the workforce free of silicosis. This should not be cause for panic but naturally it does cause a little anxiety even for the most diligent of employers.

Sadly, some companies have operated – and continue to operate – outside of the parameters of both common sense and safety and perhaps the worst offenders will quite literally have shut up shop before inspectors get there. And you’ll still walk around your own neighbourhood and see worktop fitters, working out of the back of vans. It’s common and sadly, homeowners don’t always have the knowledge to spot anything amiss.

I have visited lots of workshops of all sizes and through my work with the Worktop Fabricators Federation (WFF) feel in a much stronger position to spot those who are doing it right and protecting their workers from dust inhalation and those who are just about the bottom line. The stone industry however, is small in many ways and it’s not unusual for companies to be made up of several generations of the same family so if they do not protect each other that is even more alarming. Silicosis is a horrendous disease but it is, with the right controls, preventable.

Our members are primed for these visits from HSE having already committed to raising standards across the industry simply by joining us and being part of the chance. As a non-profit, the Federation has the interest of its members at its heart and ensures they have access to the most up-to-date guidelines and information. For those who aren’t members however, keeping workers safe from dust can be divided into 3 key pillars – don’t dry cut, don’t breathe it in and don’t take it home.

If you’re a kitchen designer or design studio, you can be part of the solution really easily by doing your due diligence. We encourage you to visit any fabricator you plan to work with and ask questions. Most importantly, look around – is this an environment you’d be happy to work in? Do you care about the health of those who work on your projects? If you are happy to turn a blind eye then to put it bluntly, you’re part of the problem.

At a time when the world seems overwhelming, making ethical choices matters more than ever. Do you choose materials that are ethically sourced? Likely. Ask yourself if the labour too, is ethically sourced. From my own point of view, if you’re selling a kitchen or bathroom, fabricators are part of the story and the more clients know about the process, the more they will believe in what you have to offer.