If you work in a stone fabrication shop, you’ve probably heard about the dangers of silica dust and a new set of safety rules in California. These emergency rules were created to protect workers like you from a serious lung disease called silicosis. In this post, we’ll break down what silicosis is, why working with engineered stone (like quartz countertops) is especially risky, and what California’sEmergency Temporary Standard (ETS) on silica means for you on the job. We’ll explain the key safety requirements – from wet cutting to air monitoring – and outline your rights and your employer’s responsibilities under these rules. Most importantly, we’ll tell you what you can do if you’ve been exposed to silica dust or diagnosed with silicosis. This is information every fabrication shop worker should know, so let’s get started.
What Is Silicosis and Why Is It So Dangerous?
Silicosis is an incurable lung disease caused by breathing in fine particles of silica dust. Silica is a mineral found in stone (and in engineered stone countertops, it’s often present in very high amounts). When materials like granite, quartz, or engineered stone are cut, ground, or polished, tiny silica dust particles can become airborne. If you inhale that dust, the particles get trapped in your lungs and cause scarring. Over time, this scarring hardens and makes it difficult to breathe.
Silicosis is not like getting a cold or even pneumonia – it doesn’t go away. It typically gets worse over time, even if you’re no longer exposed to dust. Early on, someone with silicosis might have a cough, shortness of breath, or feel fatigued. As it progresses, it can lead to severe breathing difficulty and low oxygen levels. In extreme cases, silicosis can be fatal. There is no cure for it; at best, doctors can try to slow it down or manage symptoms. Some workers have even needed lung transplants to survive. Unfortunately, many have died waiting for a transplant because their lungs were too damaged too quickly.
What makes silicosis especially scary is how sneaky it can be. It often develops gradually, and workers might not realize their lungs are being damaged until years later. By the time serious symptoms appear – like constant shortness of breath or chest pain – the lung damage is already done. And because silicosis can mimic other illnesses (it’s sometimes mistaken for bronchitis or even tuberculosis at first), diagnosis can be delayed. That delay means the disease has more time to progress unchecked.
Engineered Stone: A “Perfect Storm” for Silica Dust
You might be wondering, “I’ve heard of silicosis affecting miners and old-school stone cutters – why are we suddenly so worried about it in our countertop shop?” The answer lies in the material you’re working with: engineered stone, often sold as quartz or other brand-name countertops. Engineered stone has become extremely popular in recent years for kitchen and bathroom countertops. It’s man-made, using crushed quartz (which is basically pure silica) mixed with resins and pigments. The result is a durable, non-porous, and stylish slab – great for countertops, but potentially deadly to fabricate without proper precautions.
Traditional natural stones (like granite or marble) contain silica too, but often at lower percentages (for example, granite might be 20-45% silica). Engineered stone, on the other hand, can be over 90% silica. This means that cutting or grinding engineered stone releases a lot more silica dust into the air compared to cutting natural stone. It’s almost pure silica dust.
What we’re seeing now – especially in places like California – is a spike in silicosis cases among relatively young workers who cut and polish engineered stone. Silicosis used to be something that developed after decades of exposure in mines or quarries. Now, cases are appearing after just a few years of countertop fabrication work. Doctors in California have reported dozens of cases of silicosis in fabrication workers, some in their twenties and thirties. Tragically, a significant number of those diagnosed have died from the disease, with an average age of death in the forties – far younger than traditional silicosis cases. This is a huge red flag that engineered stone dust can cause a faster, more aggressive form of silicosis than we’ve seen in the past.
Medical experts describe these cases as an epidemic. One pulmonary doctor in Los Angeles shared how she has watched otherwise healthy young men – who should have long lives ahead – waste away and become gravely ill after just a short time working with engineered stone. Some ended up on life support, their lungs so scarred that only a transplant could help. This shouldn’t happen to anyone, let alone workers in their prime. The fact that it is happening means something is very wrong on these work sites.
Why is this happening? In many small shops, the necessary safety practices either weren’t known, weren’t taken seriously, or weren’t enforced. Dry cutting (cutting stone without water) has been a common but extremely dangerous practice. Dry grinding or polishing, and cleaning up dust with compressed air or dry brooms, also sends massive amounts of silica into the air. Workers breathe that in, day after day. If shops don’t provide proper ventilation, respirators, or training about silica hazards, employees are essentially breathing poison dust without protection.
The manufacturers of engineered stone have pointed out that their products can be used safely – if very strict dust controls are in place. They claim that when “best practices” are followed (like always using water saws, proper ventilation, and protective gear), the risk can be managed. The problem is, not all fabrication shops were following best practices. In a competitive business, some employers cut corners on safety to save time or money, or simply out of ignorance. The result has been devastating for workers.
California regulators realized they had to step in immediately to stop this from getting worse. Regulators, public health officials, and even many in the industry agreed that stronger rules and enforcement were needed right away – especially a complete ban on dry cutting practices. Simply put, no one should be cutting engineered stone dry in this day and age.
California’s Emergency Silica Safety Standard (ETS)
Facing the alarming rise in silicosis cases, California acted quickly. In late 2023, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board adopted an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for respirable crystalline silica in the stone fabrication industry. This is essentially a new set of safety rules that took effect December 29, 2023, aimed specifically at protecting workers in shops that cut, grind, or polish stone (especially engineered stone).
Why an “emergency” standard? Because waiting for the normal rulemaking process (which can take a long time) could mean more workers getting sick or dying in the meantime. An emergency standard goes into effect much faster. California saw enough evidence of an immediate hazard – a “toxic epidemic,” as one doctor called it – that the state felt it could not wait. The emergency rules are temporary (initially lasting 180 days, and they can be extended or replaced by a permanent standard), but they bridge the gap while a permanent solution is developed.
The goal of the ETS is straightforward: to drastically reduce or eliminate workers’ exposure to dangerous silica dust in fabrication shops. To do this, the standard requires employers to implement specific safety measures and work practices. These aren’t suggestions – they are mandatory rules. If a shop doesn’t comply, Cal/OSHA (the state safety agency) can issue citations, fines, or even shut down the operation until it’s fixed. In fact, under these rules, certain violations (like dry cutting) are considered so hazardous that they can trigger an immediate stop-work order because they pose an “imminent hazard.”
Let’s break down the key requirements of California’s emergency silica standard. As a worker, you should know what your employer is now obligated to do. These are protections the law says you must have on the job:
1. Wet Cutting Only – No More Dry Cutting or Grinding
The most critical rule is a total ban on dry cutting, grinding, or polishing of stone that contains high amounts of silica. Your employer must use “wet methods” for any tasks that can release silica dust. This means whenever you are cutting, shaping, or grinding an engineered stone (or any stone with a lot of silica), there needs to be water constantly applied at the point of dust generation.
Water is your best friend when it comes to silica dust – it keeps the dust from becoming airborne by knocking it down at the source. For example, saws should have water feeds that continually wet the blade and stone, grinders and polishers should have water attachments or be used wet, and drills should be operated with water spray or under water whenever feasible. Even cleaning up debris should be done wet (like wet mopping or using special vacuums), never dry sweeping or using compressed air on dry dust, which would just send it back into the air.
If you look around your shop and see dry stone dust all over surfaces or being swept up dry, that’s a big red flag. Under the new rules, that should not be happening. Housekeeping must also be done in a way that minimizes dust – for instance, using HEPA-filter vacuums or wet methods to clean, instead of simply blowing or sweeping dust around.
The ban on dry processing is huge, because previously some employers might have allowed quick dry cuts or grinding for convenience. Now it’s explicitly forbidden. Not only is the employer required to provide the equipment to do wet cutting (like saws with water feeds, water jet cutters, misting systems, etc.), but they also must enforce its use. No exceptions. Even if a piece is small or a cut is quick, dry cutting is off the table. This rule alone, if followed, will massively reduce the amount of silica dust that workers breathe.
2. Air Monitoring and Exposure Testing
Even with good dust controls like wet methods, it’s important to verify that the air is safe. That’s where air monitoring comes in. The emergency standard requires employers to measure the levels of respirable crystalline silica in the air at the workplace, especially for those high-risk tasks.
Practically, this means your employer should be conducting air tests (often done by attaching small sampling devices to workers’ collars or in the work area while cutting is going on) to see how much silica dust is in the air you’re breathing. These tests will show if the dust levels are below the legal limits. The key exposure limit in general industry (which includes fabrication shops) is 50 micrograms of silica per cubic meter of air (as an 8-hour average), and there’s also an “action level” of 25 micrograms where certain additional measures kick in. Regular monitoring helps ensure that the wet methods and ventilation in place are actually effective at keeping dust below those levels.
Under the ETS, if you’re doing a task that is expected to be high exposure – say cutting an engineered stone slab – the employer might need to do initial monitoring and then periodic monitoring (for example, every three months or every six months) to check the dust levels. If results show very low levels consistently (below the action level under all conditions), they might be able to reduce frequency of monitoring. But importantly, you have the right to know the results of any air monitoring done for silica in your shop. Your employer should inform you what the tests found. If you’re ever curious or concerned, you can ask about the air monitoring records.
Air monitoring isn’t just a formality; it’s a safety check. If the readings come back high, that’s a sign that more needs to be done – maybe better ventilation, maybe the water suppression isn’t sufficient, or maybe respirators need upgrading. It keeps everyone honest and aware of the actual conditions, rather than just assuming everything is okay.
3. Mandatory Respirators and Protective Equipment
Respiratory protection is another key piece of the new rules. While the goal is always to minimize dust through engineering controls like wet cutting and ventilation, there are times when respirators are absolutely required as an added layer of protection. Under the emergency standard, any worker performing or even present in an area where certain high-exposure tasks are being done must wear a proper respirator.
For engineered stone fabrication, this typically means a high-efficiency particulate respirator. The regulation specifically points to either a full-facepiece powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) or an N100 (or P100) filtering facepiece at minimum, not just a basic dust mask. These are respirators that can filter out at least 99.97% of airborne particles. A PAPR is often a hood or full-face mask with a battery-powered filter unit that provides clean air and is more comfortable for long use. N95 masks, which some workers might be familiar with, filter 95% and are actually not deemed sufficient for these high-dust tasks – N100 (100% filtering of the most penetrating particles) is the target, or a respirator that provides even better protection.
Importantly, the employer must provide these respirators at no cost to you and ensure that you are trained on how to use them. This includes fit testing (for tight-fitting respirators) to make sure you have the right size and a good seal, and also ensuring you’re medically able to wear one if it’s a tight-fitting type. If you cannot wear a certain type of respirator for medical reasons, your employer needs to accommodate that with an alternative (like a PAPR which doesn’t require a tight face seal or exertion to breathe).
Respirators should be used in conjunction with wet methods, not instead of them. The idea is to have multiple layers of protection: keep dust out of the air as much as possible, and also protect the worker’s lungs in case some dust still gets airborne. Under the ETS, even if water is being used, the presence of tasks like cutting or grinding engineered stone triggers a requirement for a regulated area (a cordoned-off zone) where only authorized workers can be, and those workers must be in respirators.
Another point: If a worker has been diagnosed with silicosis or has symptoms, the standard highly recommends – and in some cases might require – that those workers be assigned to jobs with no further exposure and that they use supplied-air respirators (with clean air pumped in from outside) if they must be around any silica dust. This is to ensure someone who already has lung damage isn’t put in harm’s way again.
Bottom line for you: Your employer should be giving you proper respiratory protective gear whenever you’re working in dusty conditions. If you’re cutting stone and your boss says “you don’t need a mask, the water is enough,” that is not in line with the new safety standard. You have a right to both the engineering controls (like water) and the personal protective equipment (like a good respirator) to keep you safe.
4. Medical Exams and Health Monitoring
Because silicosis is such a serious health issue, the emergency regulations build in medical surveillance for workers who are exposed to silica above certain levels. The idea is to catch any early signs of silicosis (or related problems) as soon as possible and to monitor your lung health over time.
Under the ETS, if you are exposed to respirable crystalline silica at or above the “action level” (25 µg/m³) for 30 or more days in a year, your employer must offer you regular medical examinations. These exams are paid for by the employer – you should not have to pay anything or use your own insurance for a work-related medical surveillance exam.
What does a silica medical exam involve? Typically, it starts with an initial baseline exam (soon after you’re assigned to duties with silica exposure). It includes a chest X-ray that will be read by a certified specialist (often a NIOSH-certified “B Reader” who is trained to spot dust diseases on X-rays), a lung function test (spirometry, to see how well your lungs are working), and a check for symptoms or history of respiratory issues. They also usually include a test for latent tuberculosis infection, because silicosis can increase TB risk. You’ll also have a general physical exam focusing on the respiratory system.
After the baseline exam, follow-up exams are usually offered every three years (as long as you continue in that exposure job). If you’re a smoker or older or the doctor sees something of concern, they might do it more often, but three years is a common interval in such standards. The doctor will give you a report of your health (what they found), and they also give a generic note to the employer if there are any recommendations (like “this worker should wear a PAPR respirator” or “this worker should avoid further exposure” or if you gave consent, a note if you have silicosis). The detailed medical findings, however, are confidential between you and the doctor – your employer doesn’t get your diagnosis without your permission, except for notes on fitness for duty or recommended limitations.
One new requirement in California’s rules: if a doctor does diagnose you with silicosis (of at least moderate severity), they are required to inform Cal/OSHA. This reporting is crucial because it alerts the safety authorities to a serious case and likely will trigger an inspection of your workplace. The intention is not to punish the worker – it’s to ensure the workplace is investigated so that other workers are not put at risk and the employer fixes any problems. So don’t be alarmed if you hear that doctors must report silicosis cases. It’s a public health measure to get a handle on the outbreak and prevent more cases.
For you, the worker, these medical exams are a chance to take care of your health. Even if you feel fine, do not skip them. They can sometimes catch early changes in your lungs before you have symptoms. Early detection might allow you to be moved to a low-exposure job to prevent the disease from getting worse. And if (heaven forbid) you do get diagnosed with a silica-related condition, that medical documentation will be important for getting you proper treatment and any compensation you’re entitled to (like through workers’ comp or other benefits).
Your employer is responsible to set up and pay for these exams on work time. If you think you qualify for a medical exam under the silica rule and haven’t been offered one, ask about it – you have a right to it.
5. Training and Education for Workers
Safety rules on paper don’t mean much if workers aren’t aware of the hazards and how to protect themselves. That’s why the emergency standard puts a big emphasis on training. Employers must train all employees who are exposed to respirable silica on several topics:
- The health hazards of silica: You should be taught about what silica dust can do to your body (e.g., silicosis, lung cancer, other respiratory diseases). This is to make sure everyone, including new workers, truly understands why all these safety measures are necessary – it’s not just red tape, it’s about your life and health.
- Safe work practices: You need to be trained on the specific methods used in your shop to control silica dust. That includes how to use the wet cutting tools properly (for example, how to position water spray, how to ensure water flow is adequate), how to clean up safely, and how to perform any task in a way that minimizes dust. If there are any prohibited practices (like dry cutting, dry sweeping), the training should cover that too – essentially, “don’t ever do this, it’s against the rules and dangerous.”
- Use of equipment: If you are required to wear a respirator, you must be trained how to use it, how to check the seal, how to maintain it, and when to use it. You should also be trained in any other personal protective equipment (PPE) that’s needed (like maybe using protective coveralls that you leave at work so you don’t carry dust home, etc., if applicable).
- The contents of the silica standard and your employer’s exposure control plan: Yes, there should be an actual written plan (more on that in a moment). Training should inform you that a plan exists, what it covers, and where you can find it. You should also learn the identity of the person in charge of that plan (some standards require the employer to designate a competent person or coordinator for the silica safety program).
The training needs to be effective – given in a language and manner you understand. If Spanish is your primary language and you’re not fluent in English, the training must be provided in Spanish (or a language you do understand). The idea is to ensure no worker is left in the dark about the risks or the rules.
You should receive this training before being assigned to work with silica dust, and then at least annually (yearly) as a refresher. Also, if the rules or the processes change, or if you’re observed doing something unsafely, additional training should be provided.
If you ever feel unsure about how to do a task safely or why a certain rule exists, you should feel free to ask questions. A good employer will welcome questions and make sure everyone is on the same page. Remember, knowledge is power – when you know the “why” behind a safety procedure, you’re far more likely to follow it and even help your coworkers follow it.
6. Reporting, Recordkeeping, and Warning Signs
The new silica standard also has provisions to ensure transparency and accountability. Reporting and recordkeeping might sound like bureaucratic stuff, but they have real impacts on safety.
First, employer reporting: Under these rules, employers who work with significant amounts of respirable crystalline silica (like those cutting engineered stone) are required to report their use of these materials to Cal/OSHA’s Occupational Carcinogen Control Unit. This is actually an existing requirement (silica dust is considered a carcinogen by the state), but the ETS emphasizes it. Practically, it means your company should be sending a letter or form to the state each year, detailing that they use materials like engineered stone (with high silica) and that they have control measures in place. The point is to keep the state informed about which businesses are dealing with high silica exposure so they can focus inspections and support where needed. For a worker, this might not directly affect your daily routine, but it’s good to know that your shop’s silica-related activities shouldn’t be a secret. The state wants to know and keep an eye on this industry.
Second, medical reporting: We touched on this already – doctors must report moderate or severe silicosis diagnoses. This means if any of your coworkers (or you) receive a serious silicosis diagnosis, Cal/OSHA will hear about it (without your personal details being made public) and likely take action to investigate the shop conditions. This reporting is intended to prevent clusters of disease from being ignored.
Next, recordkeeping: Your employer must keep records of all air monitoring results and make them available to you (and to Cal/OSHA inspectors). They also must keep records of the medical surveillance (though your personal medical info is confidential, the fact that you had an exam and any work restrictions would be noted). Training records should also be kept – like sign-in sheets or certificates – to prove that you and everyone else got the required training.
There’s also a requirement for signage: Areas where high-silica dust work is performed (those regulated areas we mentioned) should have warning signs posted. Typically, signs would say something like “DANGER: RESPIRABLE CRYSTALLINE SILICA – AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY – WEAR RESPIRATORY PROTECTION IN THIS AREA” or similar. If you’re doing a task like cutting engineered stone, that area should be demarcated (taped off or barricaded) and signed so that people know entering that area means potential exposure. This keeps unprotected workers out and reminds those entering to put on their respirator. As a worker, if you see those signs, take them seriously. And if you don’t see signs but you know dust is being generated, that’s an issue to raise.
All of these measures – reporting to the state, keeping detailed plans and records, posting warning signs – create a culture of safety and accountability. They make it harder for an employer to just quietly ignore the rules. There’s a paper trail and visible indicators that silica hazards are present and must be controlled.
Your Rights as a Worker Under the Silica Rules
As a worker, it’s crucial to understand that you have rights when it comes to workplace safety. California’s emergency silica standard isn’t just a checklist for employers; it’s also a shield for employees. Here are some of the key rights you have:
- The right to a safe workplace: You have the right to a work environment where known hazards (like excessive silica dust) are controlled. Your employer is legally obligated to provide safeguards like the ones we discussed. If those safeguards are not in place, you have the right to speak up about it (to your employer or to Cal/OSHA) without fear of losing your job.
- The right to training and information: You must be given training about silica and how to do your job safely. You also have a right to access information such as the exposure control plan, safety data sheets for materials, and the results of any air monitoring that’s been done. If you ask, your employer should show you records like air test results or the written silica safety program.
- The right to proper protective equipment and medical monitoring: If the job requires respirators, your employer must provide them and ensure they fit and work properly. You shouldn’t have to pay for this or provide your own. Similarly, if you meet the criteria for medical surveillance (high exposure work), you have the right to those medical exams at no cost. You also have the right to receive a copy of your medical exam report from the doctor, so you know your own health status.
- The right to report problems: If you see that the safety rules aren’t being followed – say, someone is dry cutting, or dust controls aren’t working – you have the right to report that to your employer or directly to Cal/OSHA. It is actually in everyone’s best interest that hazards are reported and fixed before people get hurt or sick. California law protects workers who report safety issues. It isillegal for an employer to retaliate against you (fire you, demote you, cut your hours, etc.) for raising a safety concern or for refusing to do something dangerous like unauthorized dry cutting. If you ever feel you’re being punished for speaking up about silica dust or any safety matter, that itself is something you should discuss with an attorney or Cal/OSHA, because retaliation is against the law.
- The right to refuse unsafe work: You generally have the right to refuse to perform work that you believe would put you in imminent danger. For instance, if your boss told you to cut a slab dry and you know that’s extremely hazardous and now illegal, you could refuse that task on safety grounds. While this should be a last resort after asking for proper controls, remember the law is on your side here. No job is worth your life or health.
Knowledge of these rights empowers you to be an advocate for your own safety. Ideally, your employer will already be doing all the right things, and you won’t ever have to “fight” for these protections – they should just be part of the job. But if that’s not the case, you now know what you are entitled to and can take action. Sometimes even just reminding an employer, “Hey, under the new silica law, we’re supposed to have X or Y,” can prompt them to get in compliance. And if it doesn’t, there are avenues to enforce your rights.
Employers’ Responsibilities to Keep You Safe
Now let’s flip the perspective: what does the law require employers to do? In short, a lot – as it should, because employers are the ones with the power to make the workplace safe. Here’s a summary of an employer’s main responsibilities under the silica emergency standard (and really, these are your protections as discussed):
- Provide and enforce engineering controls: This means supplying the equipment for wet cutting, wet grinding, ventilation, dust collection, etc., and actually making sure they are used every single time. It’s not enough to buy a fancy wet saw and then allow workers to bypass it – the employer must ensure the dust controls are consistently used.
- Establish regulated areas: When high-silica dust tasks are performed, the employer must set up designated areas restricted to trained, protected workers. They must post warning signs and keep unprotected people out.
- Provide respirators and other PPE: Employers have to give you appropriate respirators (like N100 masks or PAPRs) and any other necessary protective gear (gloves, coveralls, eye protection, etc., if needed). They must also implement a respiratory protection program (fit testing, maintenance, etc.). If the work involves water, perhaps rain gear to keep you dry – whatever is needed so that the safety measure (water) doesn’t create a new issue (soaked clothes).
- Develop a Written Exposure Control Plan: This is basically a document that outlines all the above – the tasks in the workplace that involve silica, the controls in place for each task (wet methods, etc.), the schedule for air monitoring, the training program, the medical surveillance program, and who is responsible for implementing each part. The ETS specifically requires that the exposure control plan be reviewed at least once a year to ensure it’s effective. Employers need to update it if things change (like new equipment or processes). You as a worker can ask to see this plan; it should be accessible.
- Conduct air monitoring: Do the initial and periodic air tests, as described, and keep records. They need to compare results to the permissible limits and act accordingly. If, for instance, monitoring finds that even with controls, silica levels are above the limit, the employer must stop work and figure out additional protections – you can’t just keep going with excessive dust.
- Offer medical exams: Arrange and pay for the required medical surveillance exams for eligible workers. Also, follow any work restrictions or recommendations that come from the doctor. For example, if a doctor says a worker has early signs of silicosis and should be moved out of high exposure, the employer should accommodate that, perhaps by assigning that worker to a different role away from dust.
- Train employees: As covered, they must provide effective training in a language and vocabulary workers understand, initially and annually, covering all required topics.
- Report and keep records: Send the annual report to the state about silica usage, maintain records of everything (air tests, training, medical, fit tests, etc.), and make sure doctors report any silicosis cases.
- Enforce the rules: It’s not enough to have a policy on paper – the employer has to enforce it. That means supervising the workplace and correcting any deviations. If a worker is seen dry cutting (maybe out of habit or to save time), the employer must intervene and stop it immediately. If an employee isn’t wearing their respirator properly, the employer needs to fix that (through retraining or discipline if needed). The success of these regulations depends on active enforcement at each shop.
- No retaliation: Employers are forbidden from retaliating against workers for following the rules or reporting concerns. A smart employer will actually encourage workers to speak up about any dust issues because one pair of eyes can’t catch everything, and workers on the ground often notice problems first.
It’s a lot, yes. Running a fabrication shop under these rules means an investment of time and money into safety – buying equipment, possibly upgrading ventilation, perhaps slowing down some processes to accommodate wet methods, sending workers for medical checks, etc. There may be some growing pains for shops adapting to these requirements. But the alternative – ignoring safety – is far worse. Not only would an employer be risking huge fines or being shut down by Cal/OSHA, they’d be endangering lives. No reputable business wants the death or severe illness of its employees on its conscience (or on the front page of the news).
As an employee, knowing these employer duties helps you recognize if your workplace is doing the right things. If your employer is fully on board with these safety measures, that’s fantastic – you should still stay vigilant, but you can feel reassured that they value your health. If, however, you find your employer cutting corners or outright disregarding these rules, it’s a big warning sign. Not only are they breaking the law, but they are putting you at serious risk. You shouldn’t have to work under those conditions, and the state wouldn’t want you to, either.
Protect Yourself and Take Action if Needed (Call to Action)
California’s emergency silica rules are a major step forward in keeping fabrication shop workers safe. But rules on paper only help if they’re actually put into practice. Your health is ultimately irreplaceable. Lungs don’t heal from silica damage, so prevention is everything. Now that you know what should be happening in your shop, take a moment to think about your own workplace:
- Are wet cutting and dust suppression methods always used?
- Do you have a good respirator when needed, and are you clean-shaven (if using a tight-fitting mask) to ensure it works right?
- Has your boss done air tests or talked about silica dust levels with you?
- Have you and your coworkers received training about silica hazards and safe practices?
- If you’ve been in the industry for a while, have you ever had a screening chest x-ray or lung test to check on your health?
If the answer to any of these is “no” or “I’m not sure,” don’t stay silent. Ask questions. It could be as simple as saying, “Hey, I heard about these new silica safety rules – are we doing everything we’re supposed to?” Sometimes employers, especially smaller shops, may be late to catch up on regulatory changes. Bringing it up could spur them to get on track. If you encounter pushback or if you suspect that your employer just isn’t interested in complying, then you have the option to reach out to Cal/OSHA or seek advice on next steps. Remember, the law is there to back you up.
For workers who have been exposed for years or are already experiencing health issues that might be silicosis (like ongoing cough or shortness of breath), it’s crucial to take action. Don’t ignore symptoms – see a doctor, and mention your work with silica. If you do get a diagnosis related to work exposure, that’s where legal protections and benefits kick in, like workers’ compensation to cover medical bills and lost wages. In severe cases, there may be additional legal avenues to explore (for example, if gross negligence was involved, or even product liability claims against manufacturers of dangerous products).
We strongly encourage you to seek legal help if you’ve been significantly exposed to silica dust or diagnosed with silicosis (or any silica-related condition). Why legal help? Because an attorney experienced in workplace health cases can advise you on your rights, help you file workers’ comp claims, and investigate whether there’s any further compensation you might be entitled to. In some instances, if an employer willfully violated safety laws and a worker was harmed, there can be serious consequences and potential claims. Also, as this issue gains attention, there may be broader litigation against companies that made or sold engineered stone without proper warnings. A lawyer can navigate these complex issues for you.
Most importantly, you should not bear the cost of an employer’s failure to protect you. If you’re suffering now because of silica exposure at work, you deserve support and compensation to deal with it. That might include medical treatment, lost income, disability benefits, or other damages. Getting a knowledgeable legal team on your side helps ensure you’re not left out in the cold.
Even if you’re thankfully still healthy but you work daily with silica, a legal consultation can be informative. Lawyers can explain what the law requires of your employer in practical terms and what options you have if those requirements aren’t met. Many law firms (including ours) offer free initial consultations, so it doesn’t cost you anything to just talk and understand your position.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Silicosis can sneak up on you, and by the time it’s obvious, the damage is done. Prevention and early action are key. Take the new rules seriously, make sure your employer does too, and take charge of your health and rights. If you feel your workplace isn’t safe or you’ve been harmed by silica dust, reach out – to a doctor, to Cal/OSHA, and yes, consider reaching out to a legal professional who can help protect your interests.
At the end of the day, every worker has the right to breathe clean air on the job and to return home healthy. California’s emergency silica standard is there to make sure that happens in every stone shop across the state. Let’s use these protections to put an end to new cases of silicosis. Stay safe, look out for one another, and don’t hesitate to seek help if you need it. Your life and health are worth far more than any countertop. Protect yourself – we’ve got your back.
