Deadly Countertops: An Urgent Need to Eliminate Silicosis Among Engineered Stone Workers

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cummings, Kristin J. ; Fazio JC ; Flattery J ; Gandhi S ; Harrison, Robert ; Heizerling A
• Description:
  In 1927, construction began on the Hawks Nest Tunnel in West Virginia. Celebrated initially as an important hydroelectric project, it soon became the site of one of the worst occupational disasters in U.S. history. Nearly 3,000 workers, mostly Black men who had traveled from the South looking for work, drilled through a sandstone mountain, generating extensive silica-containing dust. Minimal dust control efforts were made, and workers were not provided with respiratory protection. In the months and years that followed, many developed severe silicosis, and close to 1,000 died, most buried nearby in unmarked graves. This disaster ultimately led to a congressional investigation and a "Stop Silicosis" workplace safety campaign led by Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins. Exposure to respirable crystalline silica almost always occurs in occupational settings, and the risk of silicosis from work with silica-containing products has been known for centuries. Recently, however, a new silicosis epidemic has emerged among workers who cut and finish engineered stone (also known as artificial stone or "quartz") countertops. This material is made of crushed stone bound by resins, with added pigments. Known for its durability, colors, and patterns, engineered stone has grown in popularity over the past decade to become the most used countertop material in the United States. This rise in popularity, however, has had deadly consequences for workers. Engineered stone typically contains more than 90% crystalline silica, a much higher fraction than common natural stone materials such as granite (30%) or marble (<10%). When workers cut, polish, and finish engineered stone slabs, large quantities of silica dust can be released, together with toxic volatile organic compounds and metals. These repeated extreme exposures place workers at risk of severe, accelerated silicosis. Cases of silicosis, including advanced cases requiring lung transplantation, were first reported more than a decade ago among engineered stone countertop workers in Spain and Israel, and more than a thousand cases have since been identified worldwide. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Construction Industry Construction Materials Occupational Health Quartz Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Silicon Dioxide
• Keywords:
  Construction Materials Crystalline Silica Respiratory Diseases Silicosis Stone Products
• ISSN:
  1073-449X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Report
• Place as Subject:
  California ; San Francisco Region [OSHA]
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  211
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070626
• Citation:
  Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2025 Apr; 211(4):557-559
• Contact Point Address:
  Amy Heinzerling, 850 Marina Bay Parkway, Building P3, Richmond, CA 94804
• Email:
  Amy.Heinzerling@cdph.ca.gov
• CAS Registry Number:
  Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• Performing Organization:
  University of California, San Francisco
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20210901
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
• End Date:
  20260831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:c9bb16922563c2d3fa8c360ba05defc4600232c49fddf7f5a2ce69e3e0b7bf584aa9eb2758f138e25ae0b66ba047cbc14954d5a98fac30a1d5b58a5b0f995b27
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/208805/cdc_208805_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 88.16 KB ]