Man, 48, given weeks to live after ‘lethal’ dust in kitchen worktops caused lung disease
Tragically, the dad-of-three was too unwell to undergo a lung transplant that could have saved his life
'My life has been cut short simply for doing my job', says terminally ill father-of-three Marek Marzec from his hospital bed.
The 48-year-old lived a normal life up until April, when he discovered he'd developed the lung disease 'silocosis' - brought about through the 'lethal' dust particles produced by cutting kitchen worktops, more specifically quartz.
For the last 12 years, Marzec has been employed as a stoneworker for several manufacturers in north London and Hertfordshire, after migrating to the UK from Poland.
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However, his silicosis - a long-term lung disease caused by the inhalation of large amounts of crystalline silica dust - is now at such an advanced stage that Marzec has been given just weeks to live.
Following the news that his condition has rapidly deteriorated, he is taking legal action against his former employers for the 'appalling' work conditions he has alleged to have worked in and hopes his story will prevent others from the same fate.
“I arrived in the UK hoping to build a better life and wanting to make sure that my young daughters were financially secure," he said.
"Instead, because of the work I did cutting quartz worktops, I have been left unable to breathe and in terrible pain.
"I cannot tell you how angry I am that I was allowed to work in these conditions and that my life has been cut short simply for doing my job."
He continued: "I am not the only person whose life has been put at risk by this lethal dust.
"It is time for urgent action to stop these dangerous working conditions I had to face before other stone workers contract this terrible disease and die."
A recent study found that stone workers similar to Marzec had developed an acute form of silicosis that causes significant shortness of breath and severe disability, with a lung transplant often being the only way to treat it.
Tragically however, he was too ill to go under the knife for the procedure and is now receiving end-of-life care.
His legal team, at Leigh Day, have called for tougher safety measures to urgently be put in place to prevent the growing number of cases of silicosis linked to cutting engineered stone - which has already claimed the life of at least one other stone worker.
His solicitor Ewan Tant said: "This is a tragic case, with my client now on end-of-life care as a result of working with engineered stone, in what he alleges were appalling conditions, totally unfit for purpose.
"No one should end up facing the bleakest of outcomes simply as a result of going to work.
"We are deeply concerned that, unless something is done to address the dangers of working with engineered stone without proper protection, we may be looking at more cases with similarly appalling - and potentially fatal - outcomes in the near future."
Mason Jones