Tag

Silicosis

All articles tagged with #silicosis

California Prepares to Ban Quartz Countertops as Silicosis Crisis Deepens

California is set to become the first US state to ban the manufacturing and installation of engineered stone countertops containing more than 1% crystalline silica. This emergency regulation, expected to pass in October 2026, responds to a severe occupational health crisis. Since 2019, the state has recorded 662 silicosis cases among stone workers, including 35 deaths and 75 lung transplants. The move mirrors Australia’s 2024 nationwide ban, which successfully reduced risk without significant job losses.

via The Times of India|

#california #health-and-policy #occupational-health

real-estate-and-home6 days ago•8 min saved

Quartz Countertops Face US Ban as Silicosis Crisis Deepens

California is moving to ban the fabrication of engineered quartz countertops containing over 1% crystalline silica, following a surge in fatal silicosis cases among workers. While Australia implemented a similar ban in 2024, no single alternative material perfectly replicates quartz’s durability and low-maintenance appeal, forcing homeowners to weigh trade-offs between porcelain, granite, and quartzite.

via Realtor.com|

#california-ban #home-renovation #osha

health-and-safety8 days ago•3 min saved

California poised to ban quartz countertops after silicosis crisis

California is preparing to ban the manufacturing and fabrication of quartz countertops containing more than 1% crystalline silica. This move follows a surge in silicosis cases among workers, with 662 diagnosed cases since 2019. The state aims to protect laborers from incurable lung disease, potentially becoming the first US state to restrict the material.

via USA Today|

#california #calosha #health-and-safety

health-and-policy8 days ago

California poised to ban quartz countertop manufacturing over silicosis crisis

California is preparing to become the first U.S. state to ban the manufacturing and fabrication of engineered stone countertops containing more than 1% crystalline silica. This emergency regulation, expected to be finalized in October 2026, follows a surge in fatal lung disease cases among workers. The move aims to protect laborers from silica dust exposure, which causes irreversible lung scarring, while acknowledging that existing safety standards have failed to prevent widespread illness.

via AOL.com|

#california #calosha #health-and-policy

health-and-safety10 days ago•29 min saved

California targets engineered stone ban as silicosis cases surge

California is moving to ban the manufacturing and installation of engineered stone, such as quartz countertops, after a sharp rise in fatal silicosis cases among workers. The state’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board is expected to pass an emergency regulation in October, targeting materials with over 1% crystalline silica. This move follows a surge in cases from 31 in 2019 to 631 by mid-2026, disproportionately affecting male workers in Los Angeles County. The ban aims to prevent the inhalation of silica dust, which causes irreversible lung scarring and often requires lung transplants.

via New York Post|

#california #health-and-safety #lung-disease

health1 month ago•5 min saved

25 Years Later, 9/11 Dust Still Haunts Children and Responders

Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, health consequences persist for both children exposed to dust as infants and emergency responders. The New York Times highlights the long-term risks for those who lived near Ground Zero during the collapse, while Mother Jones reports that more people have died from 9/11-related illnesses than from the attacks themselves. Both outlets emphasize that the World Trade Center Health Program remains underfunded, failing to meet the growing demand for medical care as new cases emerge decades later.

via The New York Times|

#911-health-crisis #environmental-exposure #health

health2 months ago•57 min saved

Stone-cutting illness spurs a second chance: a California dad’s battle with silicosis and a transplant

A San Fernando Valley stone worker, Enrique Gonzalez, developed silicosis after years of cutting engineered quartz countertops, leaving him unable to work and increasingly short of breath. He received a double lung transplant this summer and is now recovering at home with restrictions. California has seen a surge in silicosis cases (about 631 since 2019, with 31 deaths and 65 lung transplants), many undiagnosed; 151 cases so far this year. Gonzalez’s family is pursuing legal action against manufacturers they blame for the illness and has relied on GoFundMe to cover medical and daily costs, highlighting a broader occupational-health crisis tied to engineered stone.

via Yahoo|

#california #health #lung-transplant

health2 months ago•6 min saved

California Man Gets a Second Breath After Silicosis Battle

A San Fernando Valley stone worker with silicosis from engineered quartz countertops received a double lung transplant, marking a dramatic turn in his health after years of illness. California has seen hundreds of silicosis cases in recent years, many of which require transplants and have spurred legal action against manufacturers, underscoring a widening occupational-safety crisis in the stone industry.

via New York Post|

#california #health #lung-transplant

health2 months ago•34 min saved

Engineered stone dust linked to silicosis wave: 31 dead, hundreds ill

A new study ties silica dust from engineered stone countertop fabrication to a surge in silicosis-related lung disease, reporting 31 deaths and nearly 600 illnesses, with about 65 lung transplants among cases, prompting calls for stronger workplace protections and regulatory action.

via 13wham.com|

#crystalline-silica #engineered-stone #health

health2 months ago•32 min saved

Engineered-stone silica exposure tied to 31 deaths and nearly 600 illnesses, study finds

A California health study links crystalline silica exposure from engineered stone countertops to silicosis, reporting 31 deaths and nearly 600 illnesses, including 65 lung transplants, underscoring the need for tighter workplace protections for stone fabricators and construction workers.

via KATU|

#crystalline-silica #engineered-stone #health

health2 months ago•32 min saved

Engineered-stone silica dust linked to deadly silicosis in new study

A California public health study ties inhalation of crystalline silica dust from engineered stone countertops to silicosis, reporting 31 deaths and about 600 illnesses, including 65 lung transplants, underscoring the serious occupational risk for countertop fabricators and potential need for stronger workplace protections.

via WJAR|

#crystalline-silica #engineered-stone #health

health2 months ago•32 min saved

Engineered stone dust linked to silicosis, 31 deaths and nearly 600 ill, study finds

A California Department of Public Health study links silicosis from crystalline silica dust in engineered stone used for countertops to significant mortality and illness: 31 deaths and 65 lung transplants have been reported among affected workers, with nearly 600 ill, underscoring the need for stricter workplace protections for stone fabricators and construction workers.

via KOMO|

#countertop-fabrication #crystalline-silica #engineered-stone

health2 months ago•2 min saved

Quartz Countertop Workers in California Face Deadly Silicosis Spike

A seven-year California study links silica dust from engineered stone to silicosis, locating 592 cases (2019–2026) with 65 transplants and 31 deaths; most patients were Latino men and the median age at diagnosis was 46. Although safety rules exist and silicosis became reportable in 2025, exposure persists with few inspections and widespread violations, prompting calls for stronger controls (and even a ban on engineered stone) alongside safer substitutes and improved surveillance.

via KCRA|

#california #engineered-stone #health

health2 months ago•52 min saved

California Faces Sharp Rise in Silicosis Linked to Quartz Countertops, Study Finds

A California state study documents a surge in silicosis among workers exposed to silica dust from engineered quartz countertops, reporting 631 cases and 31 deaths since 2019, with about half of victims in Los Angeles County and a median age of 52; 65 lung transplants have occurred, and 151 cases have already been diagnosed this year (40 in the last month). Regulators say compliance with safety standards is poor and CAL/OSHA is weighing a ban on quartz countertops to curb the outbreak, following emergency standards implemented in 2023.

via Yahoo|

#california #calosha #health

health2 months ago•26 min saved

California Silicosis Surge Tied to Quartz Countertops Sparks Safety Push

A state study links a surge in silicosis among California workers to quartz/manufactured stone countertops, with about 631 cases since 2019 (151 this year, 40 in the last month), 31 deaths, and 65 lung transplants. Most victims are middle-aged men, many in Los Angeles County, and safety violations are widespread in shops handling engineered stone. Regulators attribute the crisis to rising demand for the material and are moving to stricter rules, including a potential ban on certain fabrication tasks. A GoFundMe is aiding Enrique Gonzalez, a San Fernando Valley worker affected by the disease.

via New York Post|

#cal-osha #california #health