Hazard Warning: Silica Dust from Countertop Fabrication – Information for Employers

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  California. Department of Public Health
• Description:
  Crystalline silica is in engineered stone, quartz, granite, and other stone products. Cutting, grinding, chipping, sanding, drilling, and polishing these products can release hazardous levels of small silica particles into the air that workers breathe. Engineered stone has the most silica so it can produce higher levels of silica dust. When small particles of silica get into the lungs, they can cause permanent scarring and trouble breathing. Silica dust can also cause lung cancer, kidney damage, and autoimmune disease. Initial symptoms of silicosis can include shortness of breath, cough, and fatigue. Workers can die from silica dust exposure. Many cases of incurable and fatal lung problems from exposure to silica dust in stone fabrication workers have been reported around the world and in the United States, including several among relatively young workers in California. Engineering controls and safer work practices provide the best protection for workers and must be used to reduce silica exposures. Respiratory protection can provide additional protection if needed, or can be used as a temporary measure until other controls are put in place. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Construction Industry Dust Engineering Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Silicon Dioxide
• Keywords:
  Construction Industry Dust Exposure Engineering Controls Respiratory Diseases Silica Dusts Silicosis Stone Grinders Stone Products
• Publisher:
  California Department of Public Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Lay Publication
• Place as Subject:
  California ; OSHA Region 9
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20066569
• Citation:
  Sacramento, CA: California Department of Public Health, 2019 Sep; :1-2
• CAS Registry Number:
  Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• Performing Organization:
  Public Health Institute
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Hazard warning: silica dust from countertop fabrication - information for employers
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:6b85f795e5d593733656112b6e56a6a5332deb605fb54f4f2827843f39277610ee3baad8f2f8f49b817b5c7729cec86f7b8c4525067b9432de9e6757bbb55cdc
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/230972/cdc_230972_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 262.44 KB ]