California proposes ban on man-made quartz after sharp rise in silicosis cases
The state occupational safety board plans to adopt an emergency rule prohibiting the manufacture and installation of quartz surfacing containing more than 1% crystalline silica, citing a rapid increase in silicosis among stone workers.
California's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board is set to adopt an emergency regulation in October that would prohibit the creation and installation of engineered quartz containing more than 1 percent crystalline silica. The measure follows a steep rise in silicosis cases among workers who cut and shape the material for kitchen countertops.
Silica dust released during cutting can trigger a severe immune response in the lungs, leading to scar tissue and, in advanced stages, the need for lung transplantation. State data show the number of reported cases climbed from 31 in 2019 to 631 by mid-August, with most patients being men in their early fifties, half of them residing in Los Angeles County.
One affected worker, Enrique Gonzalez, a stone fabricator from the San Fernando Valley, received a double lung transplant after his condition deteriorated to the point of intubation. His daughter, Edith Gonzalez, said the surgery markedly improved his health, allowing him to walk without a cane or wheelchair, though he remains under medical supervision and limited in outdoor activities.
The proposed ban will be reviewed before it takes effect, aiming to reduce occupational exposure to hazardous silica dust and curb the growing incidence of this incurable lung disease.