The warning comes after Robert Thomas Charlton, trading as Border Stone Quarries, of Kirkholmdale, Haltwhistle, was fined £6,000 plus £7,602 costs at Tynedale Magistrates' Court, Hexham. Mr Charlton pleaded guilty to charges, brought by HSE, of breaching: regulations 7(1) and 11(1) of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended) - COSHH - by failing to ensure employees' exposure to RCS was adequately controlled, and failing to implement a programme of health surveillance; and regulation 5(1) of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) in that he failed to notify the relevant enforcing authority, in this case HSE, of a case of ill-health.

Following a routine unannounced inspection, HSE discovered that an employee had contracted silicosis. HSE inspector Andrea Robbins said:

"Breathing in the very fine dust of crystalline silica can lead to the development of silicosis, which in its most acute form can result in premature death. It is vital employers monitor dust levels to assess the risk of exposure of employees to RCS, and that they put control measures in place to reduce the levels to which employees are exposed, and consequently reduce their risk of developing silicosis.

Andrea Robbins continued: "It is an offence to not report a case of silicosis to the enforcing authority. This case only became apparent after an unannounced routine inspection was carried out at this site.