Inova Stone Ltd fined £60K for failing to protect workers from hazardous dust exposure
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has fined Inova Stone Ltd £60,000 for multiple health and safety violations at its facility on Willow Road in Colnbrook, Slough. The company, which manufactures stone kitchen worktops, was found to have repeatedly failed to protect workers from exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust. HSE inspectors visited the facility nine times over six years and observed little to no improvement, despite previous enforcement actions.
During a May 2021 inspection, prompted by reports of unsafe practices, employees told inspectors that “no-one is in charge of health and safety.” Inspectors noted significant dust accumulation on the workshop floor, with visible footprints, indicating ineffective control measures.
Exposure to RCS dust poses serious long-term health risks, including silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer. The risk is heightened during stone processing activities like cutting and polishing, especially when exposure is uncontrolled.
In addition to unsafe dust levels, HSE found that Inova Stone Ltd allowed the use of unguarded machinery and did not safely store heavy stone slabs, placing workers at further risk.
The company was issued four improvement notices following the inspection, mirroring similar enforcement action taken in 2017.
On 20 May 2025, Inova Stone Ltd pleaded guilty at Staines Magistrates Court to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act, along with three counts of failing to comply with improvement notices. The court imposed a fine of £60,000 and ordered the company to pay £7,363 in costs.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, Karen Morris, Principal Inspector, HSE, said, “Inova Stone Ltd failed to comply with legal notices requiring them to make improvements and repeatedly showed a lack of commitment to managing health and safety.
“We were stunned when employees told us that ‘no-one was in charge of health and safety’.
“After being provided with advice and guidance over several years, the company had plenty of opportunities to comply with the law, yet they consistently failed to do so.
“The fine imposed should send a clear message to employers that the risks from working with engineered stone must be taken extremely seriously.”
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