Rising Health Threat: Hazardous Dust from Engineered Stone Imperils American Labor Force

U.S. workers involved in the manufacturing of synthetic stone countertops are increasingly falling prey to a lethal respiratory ailment known as silicosis, according to research conducted by UC San Francisco and UCLA. This escalating risk is primarily due to elevated levels of silica in engineered stone, disproportionately affecting young Latino immigrants and resulting in substantial health complications and deaths since its first documented case in 2015.

The study by UC San Francisco and UCLA is the most comprehensive research conducted in the United States on this burgeoning health crisis. The scientists have found that laborers involved in the fabrication of artificial stone countertops are developing an incurable and potentially fatal lung disease owing to the inhalation of minute particles of toxic dust.

The process of cutting, grinding, and polishing synthetic quartz releases particles into the atmosphere that can damage the lungs, leading to silicosis. Though this disease has been a longstanding occupational risk for those involved in mining and natural stone cutting, the risk is significantly heightened for workers handling engineered stone due to its elevated silica concentration, along with the addition of harmful polymer resins and dyes.

Since the first documented U.S. case of silicosis linked to engineered stone in 2015, there has been a surge in the incidence of the disease, affecting mostly young Latino men, as per the study recently published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Jane Fazio, MD, a pulmonary specialist at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center and co-author of the research, stated, “The escalating number of silicosis cases among stone fabricators over the past decade, along with the rapid disease progression, is reshaping our understanding of what was a nearly forgotten malady in the United States. Our research reveals that a highly vulnerable population of underinsured, and likely undocumented, young Latino immigrant workers is experiencing severe health outcomes and mortality.”

The Human Toll of Synthetic Quartz

The dangers of silicosis linked to artificial stone were initially recognized in Israel in 2012. Subsequent to the first diagnosed case in Texas in 2015, California has emerged as a focal point of the epidemic. Collaborative research by UCSF and UCLA with the UCSF California Labor Laboratory and the California Department of Public Health identified 52 California workers diagnosed with silicosis, 51 of whom were Latino immigrants. The majority were diagnosed between 2019 and 2022, with 20 having advanced stages of the disease at diagnosis and 10 having passed away. The median age of these patients was 45 years, with an average employment tenure of 15 years.

Among the affected is Leobardo Segura-Meza, a Mexican immigrant employed in Los Angeles as a stone worker. Despite adherence to safety measures, he was diagnosed with silicosis and now relies on an oxygen tank, struggling to support his family.

Urgent Call for Regulatory Measures

The authors of the study urge public health officials, clinicians, and legislators to introduce measures for better worker protection against silica dust, expedite diagnosis, and consider outright product bans. While no country has yet prohibited the sale of engineered stone, Australia is contemplating new regulations, including enhanced air monitoring and training. In California, both the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Division of Occupational Safety and Health are considering potential bans and emergency regulations.

The study also emphasizes the need for early diagnosis and minimizing further exposure, challenges compounded by healthcare accessibility issues and the economic necessities faced by affected workers. Nearly half of the diagnosed workers in the study continued their employment post-diagnosis.

Reference: The study, titled “Silicosis Among Immigrant Engineered Stone (Quartz) Countertop Fabrication Workers in California,” was published in JAMA Internal Medicine on July 24, 2023. It received support from the National Institutes of Health’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the NIH’s National Cancer Institute.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Silicosis in Engineered Stone Workers

More about Silicosis in Engineered Stone Workers

• JAMA Internal Medicine Study on Silicosis
• National Institutes of Health
• UC San Francisco Research
• UCLA Research
• California Department of Public Health
• Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA)
• Silicosis: An Overview by CDC
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Silica
• Artificial Stone Countertops and Health Risks
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• NIH’s National Cancer Institute
• Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
• Australia’s Occupational Health and Safety Regulations