Manufacturing & Engineering UK-wide

Which non-metallic mineral products manufacturing regulations apply to your business

Manufacturing glass, ceramics, cement, lime, plaster, concrete products and cut stone carries workplace-safety and respirable-silica duties, then diverges by whether you place construction or consumer products on the market and how energy-intensive your process is.

Guide summary

Set up your mineral products factory with proper health and safety controls, including protection from silica dust. If you sell construction products, get the right UKCA or CE marking. If you run a kiln for cement, lime, glass or ceramics, you need an environmental permit and may need to join the UK Emissions Trading Scheme.

  • Follow health and safety law for all mineral products factories
  • Control respirable silica dust using COSHH rules
  • Get product safety marking (UKCA or CE) before selling construction goods
  • Apply for an environmental permit if you run a kiln or furnace
  • Join the UK Emissions Trading Scheme for cement, lime or glass kilns
  • Check the compliance checklist before starting a production run
  • Balance risk against cost – but safety comes first
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Processing minerals is machinery-intensive and generates respirable crystalline silica dust, making COSHH silica control a defining hazard. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates workplace safety in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland.

Beyond workplace safety, the rules diverge by whether you place construction or consumer products on the market and by how energy-intensive your process is — cement, lime and glass kilns bring an environmental permit and the UK Emissions Trading Scheme into play.

What you need to do

Identify the descriptions that fit your business — if more than one applies, follow every obligation that applies.

  1. 1

    Run a safe mineral products factory

    Whatever you make, start with the universal spine. Follow "Set up and run a safe mineral products factory" for your health and safety, respirable-silica COSHH controls, work equipment, manual handling, fire safety, insurance, equality and data protection duties.

  2. 2

    You place products on the market

    Cement, aggregates, concrete products, glass and ceramic building products are construction products; other goods must meet general product safety. These need the right product-safety regime and, where one applies, conformity marking (UKCA, or CE which is still accepted on the GB market) before sale. Follow "Place non-metallic mineral products on the market".

  3. 3

    You run an energy-intensive installation

    If you operate a cement, lime, glass or ceramics kiln or furnace, you need an environmental permit and — for cement, lime and glass production — you fall within the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. Follow "Meet your environmental permit and emissions trading duties".

  4. 4

    Confirm you have covered everything

    Finish with the non-metallic mineral products manufacturer compliance checklist to confirm your obligations are met before a production run.

Official sources

Authoritative starting points for non-metallic mineral product manufacturing.