48-year-old man dies after being given weeks to live following exposure to toxic material in kitchen worktops
A father-of-three who was given weeks to live has died after inhaling 'lethal' dust from kitchen worktops in his job.
Marek Marzec, 48, originally from Poland, had been working as a stoneworker in the UK since 2012.
Having cut kitchen worktops in 'appalling working conditions' throughout his career, he eventually developed silicosis - a long-term lung disease caused by the inhalation of large amounts of crystalline silica dust.
The disease had reached such an advanced stage that he was given just weeks to live at the end of October.
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Marek was so ill that he couldn't risk undergoing a potentially lifesaving operation.
If it wasn't for the degrade of his health, the stoneworker was in the process of taking legal action against the companies he used to work for.
His family said he died on at the Whittington Hospital in London on 30 November from 'Artificial Stone Silicosis'.
"The family and I are all very saddened by the death of Marek," his sister Monika Woźniak, who lives in Poland, said.
"[He] fought so bravely in the face of his diagnosis, as well as for future victims of this terrible condition, by speaking out to the media about engineered stone and the appalling conditions in which he worked.
"Marek was a beloved father and brother who will be missed by all of us, but we are proud of the legacy he has left by speaking up for the victims of silicosis."
Ewan Tant, Mr Marzec's solicitor and a partner at Leigh Day, added: "Marek was a lovely man and incredibly brave, both in how he stood up to his illness, but also in deciding to tell his story to try to help other engineered stone workers who might end up in the same position as him.
"My thoughts are with his family, in particular his three daughters who have lost their father in entirely avoidable circumstances.
"I hope Marek’s death will be a wake-up call to the engineered stone industry and the HSE that urgent action must now be taken to improve workers’ safety and avoid a repeat of this tragedy."
Speaking from hospital in October, Marek said he was in 'terrible pain' from simply 'doing my job'.
“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.
"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."
Anish Vij