Silicosis Claims — Silica Dust Disease Compensation
Last reviewed: June 2026 · EA Personal Injury Solicitors
Silicosis is a serious, irreversible lung disease caused by inhaling silica dust at work. If you have been diagnosed with silicosis after working with silica-containing materials, EA Personal Injury Solicitors can help you claim compensation on a no win, no fee basis.
TL;DR — Quick Summary
Key Points
- Silicosis is a prescribed industrial disease causing progressive lung fibrosis
- Engineered stone worktop cutting is an increasingly common cause among young workers
- Claims are possible against employers and (where applicable) manufacturers
- Three-year limitation period from date of knowledge
- No win, no fee — if the claim succeeds, a success fee may be deducted from your compensation
What Is Silicosis?
Silicosis is one of the oldest known occupational diseases. It is caused by inhalation of fine particles of crystalline silica (most commonly quartz) small enough to reach the deep lung (the alveoli). These particles are engulfed by alveolar macrophages, which are unable to break them down. The resulting cycle of cell death and inflammation drives progressive scarring (fibrosis) that irreversibly destroys lung tissue, reducing the lung's capacity to absorb oxygen.
In its chronic form, silicosis typically develops after ten or more years of exposure. Accelerated silicosis develops after five to ten years of heavier exposure. Acute silicosis — the most severe form — can develop within weeks to years of very intense exposure and may progress rapidly to respiratory failure. All forms are associated with increased risk of lung cancer and tuberculosis (TB).
Industries Associated with Silicosis Claims
- Engineered stone worktop cutting and finishing — a rapidly emerging cause of silicosis in young kitchen worktop fabricators, due to the extremely high silica content of quartz composite materials
- Stone quarrying and masonry — sandstone, granite, slate and other silica-bearing rocks
- Mining and tunnelling — rock drilling in silica-bearing strata
- Ceramics and pottery manufacture — processing of kaolin and silica-containing clays
- Glass manufacture — silica sand processing
- Construction — concrete cutting, drilling and grinding
- Foundry work — casting and fettling operations using silica sand moulds
- Sandblasting — sand blasting with silica-containing abrasives (now banned in the UK, but relevant to historical claims)
Employer Duties — Control of Silica Dust
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) require employers to prevent or adequately control exposure to RCS dust. The Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL) for RCS is 0.1 mg/m³ (8-hour TWA). Employers must implement a hierarchy of controls: elimination or substitution where possible; engineering controls (water suppression, on-tool extraction, enclosure); administrative controls (limiting time in dusty areas); and respiratory protective equipment as a last resort. Wet methods must be used for cutting and grinding silica-containing stone where technically feasible.
No Win, No Fee Silicosis Claims
We act under a Conditional Fee Agreement. If the claim fails, you pay nothing. If the claim succeeds, a success fee may be deducted from your compensation.