There has been considerable publicity in the media recently
about respiratory problems caused to people from the cutting of
engineered stone kitchen benches.
As the engineered stone is cut to fit the required benchtop, the
resulting dust can cause various respiratory diseases, the most
common of which is silicosis.
Several legal issues can then arise.
What is silicosis?
Silicosis is a lung disease which can afflict people who breathe
in dust which contains silica, which is a tiny crystal found in
rock, sand and some mineral ores. Over time, it creates scarring of
the lungs, which then leads to breathing problems and other
associated difficulties. For instance, silicosis can sometimes lead
to lung cancer.
