‘Our spouses were killed due to inhaled silica dust at work’

The widows of two stonemasons who died of lung disease during their work have warned of the dangers of the “new asbestos”.

Paul Gray and Stuart Johnson, who worked at the same stone manufacturing companies in Bradford and Leeds, were diagnosed with silicosis caused by silica dust.

Law firm Irwin Mitchell, who secured settlements for their families following their deaths in 2019 and 2021, claimed West Yorkshire was a “hotspot” for exposure to the dangerous mineral.

Following an increase in reported cases of the disease, Irwin Mitchell launched a national register for stone workers to record incidents of dust contact.

Mr Gray, from Shipley, who started working as a stonemason in 1997, used power tools and hand tools to make paving slabs from reclaimed quarry stone.

He was in good health before he started having breathing difficulties in 2017 and died four years later.

Joanne Gray said her husband and the father of her son were “taken away” too soon.

“The loss of Paul has been devastating for both me and our son Daniel,” she said.

“For almost four years we had to watch Paul slowly decline. You feel so helpless.”

Mr Johnson, also from Bradford, worked with Delphic sandstone and gritstone, known for their high silica content.

He developed a persistent cough in 2013, but collapsed at work in 2017 and never returned. He was diagnosed in 2018, 14 months before his death, as he had previously been “healthy and active”.

His wife, Carol, said it was “horrible” to watch the “horrible disease take Stuart from us for several years”.

Irwin Mitchell said both men instructed lawyers before they died to determine how they had come into contact with the silica dust that caused their illnesses.

The Health and Safety Executive has described silica dust found in stone as the “biggest risk to construction workers” after toxic asbestos.

The families of Mr Gray and Mr Johnson have called on employers to do more to protect workers, with both men telling their lawyers they were not warned of the dangers they faced or given protective equipment.

People most at risk of developing silicosis have inhaled large amounts of silica dust for years.

Irwin Mitchell said the large number of stonemasons, quarries and stoneworks in Leeds and Bradford had led to more victims of the disease coming forward for legal advice.

Oliver Collett, the firm’s occupational disease specialist, said: “Silica is often called the new asbestos and its threat should never be underestimated.

“Symptoms include persistent cough, shortness of breath and fatigue and can be fatal.”

Paul Gray’s widow, Joanne, added: “Silicosis is the most terrible disease. No one deserves to go through what Paul did as a result of his work. I hope that by telling his story we can add our voice to those calling for greater awareness of this disease and safety at work.”

“If the records just make an employer think more about safety, Paul’s death will not be entirely in vain.”

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