Hundreds of California quartz countertop workers developed an incurable lung condition. Dozens died

Key Points:

• A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reports 592 cases of silicosis among California countertop fabrication workers from 2019 to 2026, with 65 lung transplants and 31 deaths linked to silica dust exposure from cutting and polishing quartz countertops.
• The median age of diagnosis was 46 years, with 98% of cases involving Latino men, highlighting a significant occupational health disparity in the industry concentrated in the San Fernando Valley.
• Despite new Cal/OSHA regulations in 2023 mandating protective measures like water use, dust-capturing machines, and respirators, enforcement remains weak, with 95% of inspected shops found violating safety rules.
• Experts warn that the true extent of silicosis is underestimated, as costly control measures are difficult to implement and only a fraction of shops are inspected; some advocate for banning engineered stone products altogether, as Australia did in 2024.
• The study calls for a comprehensive approach including better case reporting, enhanced surveillance, and policy reforms to protect workers from this preventable but incurable disease.