Massachusetts Reports First Case of Silicosis in Stone Countertop Worker

Massachusetts public health officials have reported the first confirmed case of silicosis in the stone countertop fabrication industry in the state.

The first confirmed case was recently diagnosed in a Hispanic man in his 40s who, for the past 14 years, worked for stone countertop fabrication and installation companies.

Silicosis is a preventable, yet incurable and progressive lung disease caused by inhaling crystalline silica, which is found naturally in granite and other stones.

Processes like cutting, polishing, or grinding stone can generate silica dust, which can cause silicosis if breathed into the lungs. Historically, silicosis was associated with mining and construction, but in recent years, the disease has become more prevalent among stone fabrication workers due to the rise in popularity of countertops made from engineered stone (also known as quartz or artificial stone).

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) issued a safety alert urging employers in the industry to protect workers from silica dust exposure. While this is the state’s first confirmed case of silicosis among this workforce, DPH officials said the growing number of cases recently reported in other states and countries linked to this industry suggests that additional, unconfirmed cases could exist in Massachusetts.

According to DPH, most engineered stone workers with silicosis in the U.S. were exposed to silica at their jobs for more than 10 years, although some were exposed for less time. There is no cure for silicosis, but exposure to silica dust can be minimized through proper workplace controls.

“Silicosis is a devastating, life-altering disease – and one that is also absolutely preventable,” said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “Massachusetts employers in industries where workers are exposed to silica dust have a responsibility to protect their workforce, including from harmful airborne dust. No worker should have to suffer from a chronic and insidious lung disease or possibly die because of a preventable exposure at work.”

Most cases of silicosis are work-related. The first reported case of silicosis in the U.S. associated with engineering stone was identified in Texas in 2014. Since then, other states have reported hundreds of cases, and dozens of deaths, particularly in California. Cases have also been reported globally.

In the U.S., most engineered stone workers with silicosis are relatively young, male, and Hispanic/Latino. This largely reflects the demographic composition of this industry’s workforce. In 2023, over half of workers in this industry were under 45 years old, nearly three-quarters were men, and more than 1 in 3 were Hispanic/Latino, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Workers in other industries, such as construction and masonry, might also be at risk of exposure to silica dust when working with silica-containing construction materials, such as sand, stone, concrete, brick, or mortar, DPH said.

DPH said that preventing this disease depends on employers putting effective workplace controls in place. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has information on the risks to workers and ways to limit exposure to respirable silica dust.

Source: Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH)

Topics Massachusetts