Quartz countertops are in millions of American kitchens, and maybe even yours. Now California is on track to become the first state to ban making or installing them because many of the workers who cut the slabs keep developing silicosis, a lung disease with no cure. We wanted to break down what’s happening, what it means for the families of stone workers, and how it connects to the silicosis lawsuits we’re helping families pursue.
What’s Going On
California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board is expected to pass an emergency regulation in October banning the production and installation of man-made quartz, The New York Times reported. The rule would cover manufactured stone containing more than 1 percent crystalline silica. Engineered stone is typically 90 to 95 percent silica.
Cutting a slab releases silica dust that can become lodged in the lungs and scars them. By the time silicosis is diagnosed, patients often need a lung transplant. Since 2019, California has confirmed 657 silicosis cases and 35 deaths among countertop workers. State officials say existing safe-cutting rules aren’t enough because compliance is low and many small shops escape inspection.
The $30 billion engineered-stone industry says quartz is safe and blames the fabrication shops that cut it. Cambria, the largest U.S. manufacturer, has fought workers’ lawsuits and supported a bill in Congress that would shield engineered stone from injury claims. The ban is not final yet.
Why This Matters for Women
While nearly everyone who actually cuts the countertops for a living is a man, silicosis is felt by the whole family. Women are often the ones who notice the cough that won’t go away, push their guys to get it checked out, sit in the waiting rooms, and figure out how to keep the family going during the crisis.
It is also easy to miss. Early symptoms can look like asthma or pneumonia: a persistent cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, chest tightness. If the man in your life has cut, ground, or polished countertops and has these symptoms, make sure his doctor knows what he does for work.
How This Connects to the Silicosis Lawsuits
The silicosis lawsuits, like other environmental lawsuits we support, allege that manufacturers and distributors knew the dangers of a product that is almost entirely silica, failed to warn the workers handling it, and kept selling it. The industry denies that its products are unsafe.
While a step in the right direction, a ban can’t undo past exposure. Silicosis can take 10 years or more to appear, so men who cut quartz years ago may only now be getting sick. Your family may be eligible to file a lawsuit if you or a loved one worked around silica dust at any point in the engineered stone process and has been diagnosed with silicosis.
Where We Stand
We’re not interested in fueling panic, but we are actively following this issue, including the board’s vote and whether other states follow California’s lead. Sign up for our newsletter for updates.
If the guy in your life has been diagnosed with silicosis after working with engineered stone, contact us. We work with attorneys who take these cases on contingency, which means they are paid only if you achieve a positive result in your case. We charge you nothing.
You can read the original coverage that prompted this post from The New York Times.
