Health And Safety For Stonemasons

With a reported increase in injuries in the past year, The Health and Safety Executive are to urge stonework firms to ensure that all their health and safety regulations are current.

Last year saw five fatalities in the stonemason industry and an increase in the amount of accident claims lodged. Incidents included accidents with falling stones through to inhalation of dust. Regulations need to be in place to prevent accidents occurring in the first place rather than having to deal with the repercussions.

The Health and Safety Executive went on to highlight the increasing dangers facing stonemasons and pointed out that some less obvious hazards can lead to permanent ill-health. These range from vibrating tools affecting limbs to lung disease and loud noises which can cause temporary problems or even the complete loss of hearing.