'He was killed by a disease we had never heard of'

The family of a man who died from silicosis says there needs to be more awareness of the dangers faced by stonemasons and tradespeople who fit kitchens and bathrooms.

George Elliot, from Bexhill in East Sussex, died in 2023 from the incurable lung disease, that is caused when tiny particles of silica dust settle and harden in the lungs.

His wife Sandra said: "He was up and walking... all healthy, and then to see him deteriorate and unable to get out the door, it's so upsetting."

Sir Stephen Timms, the minister who deals with health and safety in the workplace, said he was not currently proposing a ban on engineered stone, as workers could be protected with the right controls in place.

Elliot worked for a company that fits high end kitchens and bathrooms in London properties, including in five star hotels and in buildings on Downing Street.

Engineered stone is often used in kitchens. It is commonly made up of quartz and made up of up to 95% silica, but harmful dust can be created when worktops are cut when dry.

Elliot became ill in 2020 with chest pains and during the last year of his life needed constant oxygen as he struggled to breathe. His wife gave up work to become his carer.

"I think if I wasn't in the room he would probably cry, because he was upset about it, and I just didn't want George to be in pain," she recalls.

He was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a condition in which the lungs become scarred, and died in 2023.

The family only found out the real cause of death after his post mortem examination.

"We'd never heard about it," says Caroline Hudson, Mrs Elliot's sister.

"When we got the coroner's report and it said silicosis, we just could not believe it."

Hudson assumed it was a rare case until she came across an i paper expose a year later about other UK cases of the deadly lung disease.

"I just want to let everybody know what George went through, what Sandra went through and of course other people are going through," she said.

Hudson took the issue to her MP, Eastleigh's Liz Jarvis, who secured a debate in Westminster Hall on Tuesday that both sisters attended.

She said they want to see much greater awareness of the disease: "When you consider there are thousands of people working in this field, we've got no idea how many people have this death sentence round their necks".

Jarvis told the house that silica dust inhalation must not become "another scandal on the scale of asbestos".

She added: "Prevention must come first, with earlier detections, stronger enforcement, and dramatically improved awareness."

Jarvis also called for "stronger legal protections" and "meaningful action before more families are destroyed, and more families suffer the heartbreak that George Elliot's family have endured".

Timms described it as a "very important and alarming development" and that he would continue to monitor evidence from around the world.

"We remain committed to ensuring that every worker in every sector is properly protected from this entirely avoidable harm," he said.

Last month the Health and Safety Executive declared dry cutting to be unacceptable.

A spokesperson said: "No worker should lose their life to a lung disease caused by their job, which is why we have introduced the first ever guidance making clear what is and isn't acceptable for firms working with engineered stone, and launched a campaign of over 1,000 inspections to make sure this is being followed."