Recurring concern

Failure to provide effective health surveillance for respirable crystalline silica exposure

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First reported 29 Jan 2021•Latest report 25 Oct 2024

Definition

What this concern includes

Includes failures in occupational health and health-surveillance arrangements specifically for workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica, including surveillance timing, coverage, implementation, evidencing and capability to detect silicosis or related disease before it becomes untreatable.

Not included

Excludes generic occupational health checks or workplace health surveillance where respirable crystalline silica exposure is not a material part of the concern.
Excludes failures to control silica dust exposure itself, including respiratory protective equipment, ventilation, housekeeping and work-method controls, unless the assertion specifically concerns the health-surveillance process.
Excludes diagnosis or treatment failures after silica-related disease has been reliably detected.
Excludes generic workplace monitoring, compliance evidence or health-and-safety documentation deficiencies that do not directly impair silica-exposure health surveillance.

Reports: 2
Individual concerns: 2
Date range: 2021–2024
Stated actions: 1

Reports over time

Reports about this concern issued each year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Most frequent recipients

Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.

Department of Health and Social Care1

Health and Safety Executive1

Marble Ideas Limited1

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government1

Concerns and responses across reports

Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

25 Oct2024
West London
Concerns raised1
1. Health surveillance failing to detect disease before it becomes untreatable
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response 1
1. Action
  Publish updated supplementary guidance on health surveillance for workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica.
  Stated by Health and Safety ExecutiveStated completed
Respondent positions 3
1. Position
  Responsibility for addressing the Coroner’s concerns sits with the Health and Safety Executive.
  Stated by Department of Health and Social CareRedirects responsibility
1. Position
  Working practices and protections fall outside MHCLG’s policy remit, so MHCLG policy would not address the concerns.
  Stated by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentOutside remit
2. Position
  The concerns are matters for HSE under its remit and regulations, leaving little substantive addition to HSE’s response.
  Stated by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentRedirects responsibility
AI-generated summary

Wessam al Jundi · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

Wessam al Jundi had severe silicosis and was admitted to Harefield Hospital on 17 May 2024 for a potential lung transplant, but was too unwell and died in hospital on 22 May 2024. The principal concern was that his untreatable lung disease was probably caused by workplace exposure to respirable crystalline silica from artificial stone products, in conditions described as unsafe and lacking adequate dust controls and respiratory protection.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Health surveillance failing to detect disease before it becomes untreatable
Wider context from the report
“Any current surveillance health and safety monitoring is unlikely to achieve a satisfactory outcome as the onset of untreatable disease predates the 15 year surveillance programmes. In this case exposure appears to have commenced in May 2016 and he was diagnosed with silicosis in 2021, a mere 5 years after initial exposure. Evidence from photographs and an in-life statement suggest Wessam was working in completely unsafe conditions to avoid dust exposure. ”
Source location
Wessam al Jundi · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 2 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Publish updated supplementary guidance on health surveillance for workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica.

Verbatim wording from the response
“Suitable health surveillance must also be provided for workers liable to be exposed to RCS. Where there is a risk of developing conditions such as accelerated silicosis, or where there is evidence of significant overexposure to RCS, the timing and performance of health surveillance should be adapted. This means chest x-rays being performed well before the 15-year time period you refer to, and referral to an occupational lung disease specialist being made as appropriate. In May 2024, we clarified these requirements in the updated ‘Health surveillance for those exposed to respirable crystalline silica (RCS), Supplementary guidance for occupational health professionals’, which is available on HSE’s website at https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/g404.pdf.”

Source location
Response from HSE
Page 2 · response
Published 28 July 2025
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Responsibility for addressing the Coroner’s concerns sits with the Health and Safety Executive.

Verbatim wording from the response
“Our response to this PFD case suggested that responsibility for the Coroner’s concerns sits with HSE. It may be worth forwarding to them.”

Source location
Response from DHSC
Page 1 · response
Published 28 July 2025
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Working practices and protections fall outside MHCLG’s policy remit, so MHCLG policy would not address the concerns.

Verbatim wording from the response
“Also attached is the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) response to the report. The concerns raised within the report relate to working practices and protections which would fall within the remit of HSE and the regulations its response set out. Policy owned by MHCLG would not be applicable in addressing these issues and there is consequently little substantive addition MHCLG could provide to HSE’s response.”

Source location
Response from MHCLG
Page 1 · response
Published 28 July 2025
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
The concerns are matters for HSE under its remit and regulations, leaving little substantive addition to HSE’s response.

Verbatim wording from the response
“Also attached is the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) response to the report. The concerns raised within the report relate to working practices and protections which would fall within the remit of HSE and the regulations its response set out. Policy owned by MHCLG would not be applicable in addressing these issues and there is consequently little substantive addition MHCLG could provide to HSE’s response.”

Source location
Response from MHCLG
Page 1 · response
Published 28 July 2025
Open published response
29 Jan2021
West London
Concerns raised1
1. Lack of demonstrable occupational health checks and required health surveillance
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Respondent positions 1
1. Position
  Compliance with requirements for employers working with respirable crystalline silica is disputed.
  Stated by Marble Ideas LimitedDisputes the concern
AI-generated summary

Allan David GUNNELL · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

Allan David Gunnell died on 24 August 2020 from progression of severe pulmonary fibrosis due to silicosis, following workplace exposure to silica dust. Concerns were raised about the absence of evidence regarding occupational health checks, compliance with HSE guidance and COSHH Regulations, employee risk information, and required health surveillance.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Lack of demonstrable occupational health checks and required health surveillance
Wider context from the report
“Evidence was requested but not received in relation to the occupational health checks that are carried out by your company, given the hazardous substances and high risk working practises that your employees are exposed to. The Health and Safety executive have published G404 which deals with the requirements placed upon employers who work with respirable crystalline silica (RCS) and there was no evidence before the court that you are working in compliance with this document, and advising your employees of the risks and carrying out the health surveillance required. This therefore potentially puts them at greater risk of developing the disease and not receiving timely health care. I therefore require you to consider the current arrangements in place to protect your employees an whether these are sufficient and in accordance with HSE guidelines and COSHH Regulations 2002. ”
Source location
Allan David GUNNELL · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 2 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Compliance with requirements for employers working with respirable crystalline silica is disputed.

Verbatim wording from the response
“We dispute the evidence in your report that states Marble Ideas Limited are not working in Compliance with requirements placed on employers who work with RCS.”

Source location
2021-0026-Response-from-Marble-Ideas-Ltd-Redacted
Page 1 · response
Published 5 February 2021
Open published response

Data last updated 7 September 2026

What this concern includes

Not included

Reports over time

Concerns raised1

Health surveillance failing to detect disease before it becomes untreatable

Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1

Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3

Concerns raised1

Lack of demonstrable occupational health checks and required health surveillance

Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1

Actions described in response 1

Respondent positions 3

Respondent positions 1