Silicosis is a progressive, incurable lung disease caused by inhaling tiny particles of crystalline silica that embed deep in the lungs and scar tissue over time. While the disease historically occurred in mining and construction after decades of exposure, a new wave has emerged linked to engineered stone fabrication. Workers cutting and polishing quartz countertops are developing severe lung damage after just a few years on the job.
Unlike natural stone, engineered slabs are made up of more than 90% crystalline silica. When workers cut or grind these materials, the dust released is fine enough to reach deep into the lungs and cause serious harm. Young workers are bearing the brunt of it, facing respiratory failure and lung transplants instead of the long careers they anticipated.
The California Department of Public Health confirmed 432 cases of silicosis associated with engineered stone countertop work between 2019 and late 2025. Among those cases were at least 25 deaths and 48 lung transplants, sobering numbers for a disease that was once considered a rarity in modern workplaces.
California now classifies silicosis as a reportable disease, meaning healthcare providers must notify public health authorities when they diagnose it. This step was taken in response to rapid case increases that revealed the scope of the problem. Clinical research shows silicosis primarily affects young Latino immigrant men in their 40s and under, many of whom present with advanced disease at diagnosis.
The concentration of cases in California speaks to the scale of its fabrication industry, but silicosis linked to countertop work is showing up elsewhere too. Massachusetts issued a public health alert after its first confirmed case, a worker with 14 years of exposure in the industry. The finding has intensified calls for better workplace protections and left many wondering how many similar cases remain undiagnosed nationwide.
After seeing a surge in silicosis cases tied to engineered stone, Australia made a decision no other country had yet made, banning the material outright in 2024. The reasoning was straightforward: standard safety controls simply couldn't provide adequate protection given how much silica these materials contain and how much dust the fabrication process generates.
Spain has recorded thousands of silicosis cases since 2007, many connected to stone fabrication work involving high-silica materials. Taken alongside cases in Australia, the US, and elsewhere, the evidence points not to isolated failures but to a systemic risk that comes with the territory of working with engineered stone.
The traditional picture of silicosis, a disease that developed gradually over a long career in mining, doesn't apply here. What engineered stone workers are experiencing is faster-moving and considerably more severe:
The accelerated progression reflects just how concentrated silica exposure is in countertop fabrication. Cutting and grinding with power tools sends large quantities of fine dust into the air quickly, and wet cutting doesn't eliminate the risk entirely. For workers in smaller shops with poor ventilation and inadequate protective equipment, the danger is compounded further.
Experts say current occupational safety rules weren't written with engineered stone fabrication in mind, and the gap shows. Water suppression and exhaust ventilation are standard tools, but they frequently prove insufficient against the volume of silica dust generated. Respirators fill some of the gap, but proper fit testing, upkeep, and consistent use across full shifts are far from guaranteed in many workplaces.
For many small fabrication businesses, the gap between adequate safety programs and what they can realistically deliver comes down to resources and awareness. Medical associations have pushed regulators, including Cal/OSHA, to restrict or ban engineered stone containing more than 1% silica, arguing that the material is inherently too dangerous for any level of workplace controls to adequately address.
The lung scarring silica causes is permanent. There's no treatment that can undo it. Doctors can help manage symptoms and complications like respiratory failure or infection, and oxygen therapy makes breathing more manageable, but neither stops the disease from progressing. Anti-inflammatory medications can take the edge off symptoms to a degree, but nothing more.
The most advanced cases may require lung transplantation, yet even that offers only temporary reprieve given the disease's progressive nature. Transplant recipients face lifelong immunosuppression, risk of organ rejection, and limited survival rates compared to healthier transplant candidates. Many workers die waiting for donor organs or are deemed too sick to survive the surgery.
If you worked fabricating, cutting, polishing, or installing engineered stone countertops and developed silicosis, progressive massive fibrosis, or severe restrictive lung disease, you may qualify for legal action against stone manufacturers and suppliers. For over 35 years, Atraxia Law has evaluated complex toxic exposure and product liability claims.
We'll carefully review your work history and medical records to determine whether manufacturers who withheld information about their products' risks may owe you compensation. If we find you have a viable claim, we'll refer you to an attorney specializing in silicosis litigation. Contact Atraxia Law today for a free evaluation.