A rising number of workers involved in the fabrication of kitchen and bathroom countertops made from engineered stone are experiencing severe and often fatal health conditions. This material, increasingly popular due to its durability and aesthetic appeal, has been linked to cases of irreversible lung injury and death among those who cut, grind, and polish it.
Engineered stone is predominantly composed of silica, a mineral that can release dangerous amounts of dust when manipulated. Inhaling this silica dust can cause silicosis, a progressive lung disease for which there is no cure, except for a lung transplant.
Jose Martinez, 37, is one of many workers whose lives have been devastated by this condition. After years of working as a polisher and cutter for a countertop company, Martinez now battles daily with chest pain, dizziness, and weakness. His once active lifestyle, including playing soccer with his children, has been reduced to mere survival. Diagnosed with silicosis, Martinez lives in fear, having seen two coworkers succumb to the disease.
"The dust was everywhere," Martinez recounts. "When you walk out of the shop, you can see your steps on the floor because of the dust." Despite efforts to control the environment, the pervasive nature of the dust exposed workers to significant health risks daily.
Dr. Amy Heinzerling, an epidemic intelligence service officer with the CDC, has highlighted the urgent need for awareness and action, stressing that current cases might only represent the "tip of the iceberg." A recent report identifies 18 cases of illness, including two deaths, among workers who primarily dealt with engineered stone in states like California, Colorado, Texas, and Washington. The majority of these workers were Hispanic men with severe, progressive disease.
California is leading efforts to protect these workers, becoming the first state to propose specific measures to mitigate the risks associated with engineered stone fabrication. This initiative follows findings that 72% of countertop fabrication shops in the state were likely out of compliance with existing silica standards. In an email to NPR, a spokesperson for Cal/OSHA stated that it had "advised the Board that it plans to hold an advisory committee in August and hopes to have an Emergency Temporary Standard proposal to the Board within 3-4 months." Additionally, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is considering a ban on this type of countertop material.
Dr. Sheiphali Gandhi, a pulmonologist at the University of California, San Francisco, reports that the situation is worsening, with more workers presenting severe symptoms. "We've had more and more people presenting very severely," she notes. The state has identified 77 affected workers, underscoring the urgent need for stricter regulations and better protective measures.
David Goldsmith, an occupational and environmental epidemiologist at George Washington University, emphasizes the broader implications of this issue, estimating that approximately 100,000 people work in the countertop fabrication industry nationwide. Since the first U.S. case of silicosis in this industry emerged in Texas in 2014, other sickened workers have been found in Colorado and Washington. A recent case from Florida detailed severe disease in a 39-year-old undocumented immigrant from Guatemala who had been exposed to silica through "manual labor regarding stone cutting of quartz for fabrication of countertops."
"This is something that we've had, if you will, flashing warning lights about for some time," says Goldsmith. One study conducted silicosis screening on 43 employees of "an engineered stone countertop fabrication facility" and found that 12 percent had the disease. Goldsmith also points out that undocumented workers or those without insurance may be reluctant to seek medical care, and doctors who aren't expecting to see silicosis can misdiagnose it as pneumonia or tuberculosis.
While no country has yet banned the use of engineered stone, Australia is considering such measures and is in the process of developing new regulations aimed at reducing the risk of silicosis. These include enhanced air monitoring, improved training, and more rigorous reporting requirements. Similarly, in California, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is evaluating a potential ban on engineered stone countertops, and the state's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has already started drafting emergency regulations.
The alarming rise in silicosis cases among countertop workers calls for immediate action from both state and federal authorities to ensure safer working conditions and prevent further loss of life.
