Editor's note
Importers and project buyers sourcing quartz slabs from California should monitor regulatory developments closely. Potential emergency standards or local bans on high-silica materials could disrupt supply chains, increase compliance costs for fabricators, and shift demand toward alternative materials with lower silica content. Sourcing from regions with stringent, enforced safety protocols may mitigate future liability and supply risks.
California is set to become the first U.S. state to adopt special measures to protect countertop fabrication workers from silicosis, an irreversible lung disease caused by silica dust. Public health experts report at least 77 cases and 10 deaths among workers, primarily young Latino men, linked to cutting engineered quartz stone, which contains high silica levels. State inspections found approximately 72% of 808 fabrication shops likely non-compliant with existing silica standards. California's Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board has voted to fast-track new regulations, with an Emergency Temporary Standard proposal expected within 3-4 months. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is considering a ban on high-silica countertop materials.
California is poised to become the first state in the country to adopt special measures to protect workers fabricating kitchen and bathroom countertops from engineered quartz stone. This action follows the identification of at least 77 cases of silicosis—an irreversible lung disease—among countertop workers in the state, with at least ten fatalities.
The median age of affected workers is 45, with almost all being Spanish-speaking Latino men. The disease is caused by inhalation of silica dust released during cutting and grinding. While natural stone contains silica, engineered quartz contains far higher concentrations, increasing the risk.
Safety inspections in 2019 and 2020 revealed that approximately 72% of California's 808 fabrication shops were likely non-compliant with federal silica exposure limits. In response, California's Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board has voted to fast-track development of new regulations.
A state spokesperson advised that an advisory committee will meet in August, with an Emergency Temporary Standard proposal expected within 3-4 months. Concurrently, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is considering a ban on this type of countertop material.
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Sources
Source article: Young men making quartz countertops are facing lung damage. One state is taking action | Source publish time: Jul 24, 2023 | Source language: en
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