California Implements Safety Measures to Protect Stonecutters from Deadly Lung Damage
California workplace regulators are expediting the development of new rules to protect countertop fabrication workers from inhaling toxic silica dust, which has led to a growing number of young men developing irreversible breathing problems. Silicosis, a deadly disease caused by inhaling crystalline silica particles, has been identified in dozens of mostly immigrant workers who cut and sand engineered stone to make countertops. The high silica content in these products has been linked to a more aggressive form of silicosis. Health professionals have urged the state board to act swiftly to save workers' lives, and a soft-spoken 27-year-old stonecutter suffering from silicosis pleaded for emergency measures to prevent others from getting sick. The proposed rules would prohibit dry-cutting the material and require employers to provide greater protections for workers. If the rules are not followed, the state may consider banning the use of engineered stone products altogether within a year.