Silicosis cases surge among California stone-cutting workers
A study shows a sharp rise in silicosis diagnoses among Latino stone-cutters in California, prompting calls for stricter safety regulations and possible bans on engineered-stone fabrication.
A recent analysis of California Department of Public Health data indicates that silicosis cases among workers who cut engineered-stone countertops have risen dramatically, from 47 cases between 2019 and 2022 to 571 reported through August 2024. The disease, caused by inhaling fine silica dust generated during grinding and polishing, is affecting primarily Latino men, who represent about 98% of those diagnosed, with a median age of 46 at diagnosis and 52 at death.
Researchers published in the New England Journal of Medicine noted that the disease is progressing more quickly than silicosis observed in other industries such as construction and mining. "It’s become clear that this product engineered stone countertops ... cannot be manufactured safely and economically," said David Michaels, a professor of environmental and occupational health and co-author of the study. He added that the high proportion of workers needing lung transplants underscores the severity of the problem.
California officials have recorded 32 deaths from silicosis since 2019 and have identified 72 workers who have undergone lung transplants, with another 51 referred for evaluation. The state’s 2025 Senate Bill 20 expanded surveillance, mandated reporting of silicosis cases, and required employers to provide respirators and dust-suppression measures such as water during fabrication.
Despite these steps, compliance appears limited. The Western Occupational & Environmental Medical Association reported that Cal/OSHA cited violations in 94% of inspected shops and issued emergency shutdown orders for 20% of them, but inspections covered only about 10% of the estimated 1,342 fabrication operations statewide. The association has petitioned the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to ban the fabrication of engineered-stone countertops, citing the successful nationwide prohibition in Australia.
In May, the standards board approved the petition and began drafting emergency regulations that could prohibit the fabrication of engineered-stone products. The proposed rules will undergo stakeholder review before final adoption.