Experts say the Government should consider banning artificial stone worktops following a rise in cases of an incurable disease linked to their manufacture.
A leading doctor has called for urgent measures to be taken to protect workers who cut the material.
Kitchen worktops made from engineered stone are cheaper than natural stones such as granite or marble, but they contain significantly more silica.
Experts say workers cutting the material could inhale high levels of silica dust, which can lead to a deadly lung disease called silicosis.
The first cases in the UK of the disease, linked to cutting artificial stone made from crushed rock bound together with resin and pigments, were identified last year and doctors have since seen a rise in cases.
Experts have documented the first eight cases in the UK – all of them men, with an average age of 34 – and one person has subsequently died, the researchers said.
Dr Joe Feary, consultant in occupational lung disease at the Royal Brompton Hospital and lead author of the paper, told PA Media: “I think this disease urgently needs focus.”
“What’s really shocking is that young people in their 20s and 30s are getting it and there’s no treatment. If they don’t go to work they won’t get sick and it’s preventable. So we need to act urgently.”
The use of artificial stone has been banned in Australia since July following a rise in cases of silicosis.
The condition is caused by inhaling silica dust, which causes inflammation in the lungs and gradually causes the tissues to harden and scar, preventing them from functioning properly. This can result in a persistent cough, shortness of breath, weakness and fatigue.
There is still no known cure for the disease, but some patients have undergone lung transplants, which is why researchers say preventing the disease is important.
Dr Christopher Barber, from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, said the cases were expected to pose a major challenge for doctors.
On a possible ban, he said legal changes in the 1920s “successfully protected Sheffield cutlers” and led the industry to switch to silica-free grinding wheels.
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Another study led by Dr Patrick Howlett, a Medical Research Council Clinical Research Fellow at Imperial College London, suggests limiting exposure to silica dust may help.
“This study supports lowering the permissible exposure limits for eight-hour work shifts,” he said. “It shows that lowering exposure limits in different environments is difficult, but achievable.”
“Given the seriousness of the disease, we strongly believe it is important to reduce the number of silicosis cases.”
A Health and Safety Executive spokesman said: “Our sympathies go out to those who have lost loved ones to work-related illnesses.”
“The UK has a strong and well-established regulatory framework in place to protect workers from the health risks associated with exposure to hazardous substances.
“We continue to work with industry to raise awareness of managing the risks of exposure to respirable crystalline silica and are evaluating options for future interventions to ensure workers are protected.”
