I have known too many older stonemasons and sculptors who can barely hear a conversation, whose fingers go white in cold weather, or who struggle to breathe after decades in the trade. Stone carving is deeply satisfying work, but it will damage your body if you do not take safety seriously from day one.

This is not a lecture. It is practical advice from someone who learned some of these lessons later than I should have.

Silica Dust: The Invisible Danger

The biggest long-term risk in stone work is respirable crystalline silica. When you cut, grind, or carve stone — particularly sandstone, granite, and any quartz-bearing material — you release microscopic particles that lodge in your lungs and cannot be removed. Over time, this causes silicosis, an irreversible scarring of the lung tissue.

Australia updated its workplace exposure standard for silica dust to 0.05 mg/m3 in 2020, half the previous limit. In a home workshop without proper controls, you can exceed this within minutes of using a grinder.

What to do about it:

• Wet cutting is your best friend. Water suppresses dust at the source. Use a water feed attachment or keep the surface wet with a spray bottle. This alone reduces airborne dust by 80-90 per cent.
• Wear a proper respirator. Not a paper dust mask — a properly fitted half-face respirator with P2 or P3 filters. Replace the filters regularly.
• Ventilation matters. Work outdoors when possible. If you work indoors, set up extraction or a large fan blowing dust away from your breathing zone.
• Clean up with water, not a broom. Sweeping dry dust just puts it back in the air.

I test the air quality in my Melbourne workshop twice a year with a portable particulate monitor. It has been one of the best investments I have made for my health.

Noise: Gradual and Permanent

Stone carving is loud. A pneumatic hammer hitting a chisel against granite can exceed 100 decibels. An angle grinder runs at around 95-105 dB. The safe exposure time at 100 dB is just fifteen minutes per day before you risk permanent hearing damage.

Protection options:

• Earmuffs (Class 5, rated to at least 26 dB reduction) are my preference for heavy work. Quick to put on and remove.
• Moulded earplugs offer better comfort for all-day wear and can be made by an audiologist for around $150-200.
• Do not rely on foam plugs alone unless you are confident you are inserting them correctly. Most people get far less protection than the rated value.

I schedule my noisiest work into concentrated blocks rather than spreading it across the whole day. This gives my ears recovery time.

Hand-Arm Vibration: The Slow Burn

Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) is common among stonemasons who use pneumatic or powered tools regularly. Symptoms include tingling, numbness, loss of grip strength, and “white finger” — where blood flow to the fingers is restricted in cold conditions. Once it develops, there is no cure.

Reducing your risk:

• Limit daily exposure. Track your vibration exposure using the tool’s published vibration magnitude and your daily usage time.
• Use anti-vibration gloves. They reduce transmission, particularly at higher frequencies.
• Keep tools well maintained. A blunt chisel or worn bearing increases vibration because you push harder.
• Take regular breaks. Ten minutes of hand rest for every hour of powered tool use is a reasonable starting point.
• Keep warm. Cold exacerbates vibration-related blood flow problems.

General Workshop Safety

Beyond the big three risks:

• Eye protection is non-negotiable. Stone chips fly unpredictably. Safety glasses with side shields should be on your face any time tools are moving.
• Steel-capped boots protect against dropped blocks. A 20 kg piece of marble on an unprotected foot will break bones.
• Lifting technique matters. Use trolleys, levers, and ask for help with anything over 25 kg. Back injuries end carving careers.

It Is Not Optional

I understand the temptation to skip precautions when you are in the flow of a piece. I have been there. But the consequences are cumulative and permanent. Silicosis does not get better. Hearing loss does not reverse. White finger does not heal.

The best sculptors I know are the ones still carving in their seventies because they looked after themselves from the start. Make safety as routine as picking up your chisel.