Silica Safety Resources for Stone Fabricators

Webinar

Working Safely with Natural & Engineered Stone Products - a webinar for stone countertop fabrication employers and safety professionals - was presented on May 14, 2019, by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), OSHA, Cal/OSHA, OHB, and the Natural Stone Institute.

• Recorded webinar presentation - requires download of Adobe Connect application for browser

Health Advisory: Crystalline Silica Dust

Crystalline silica is in quartz, granite, artificial/engineered stone, and other stone products. When very small particles of silica dust get in the air, they can be breathed into the lungs and cause permanent scarring and trouble breathing. Silica dust can also cause lung cancer, kidney damage, and autoimmune disease.

The following resources provide information on silica exposure prevention:

• Cal/OSHA silica standards update
• OSHA hazard alert (PDF) for manufactured and stone countertop installers
  Note: This alert contains useful technical information. However, the Permissible Exposure Level for silica dust has been lowered since this publication was released and there are now additional requirements under the new silica standards.
• Silica safety website for controlling silica exposure in construction
• NIOSH silica topic page

If your company needs help measuring silica exposure or complying with the Cal/OSHA silica standards:

• Contact your workers' compensation insurance company.
• Call Cal/OSHA Consultation at (800) 963-9424 for a free, confidential visit.
• Find an industrial hygienist through a searchable list of consultants provided by the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

Additional Resources

Health Advisory on Stone Fabrication Hazards (PDF) - CDPH OHB advisory on severe lung disease from inhaling silica dust

Silica – Notes from the Field: Silicosis in a Countertop Fabricator – Texas, 2014 – MMWR report

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