US Countertop Workers Falling Sick from Silica Dust – Occupational Health and Safety

US Countertop Workers Falling Sick from Silica Dust

More and more cases of countertop workers getting sick indicates the hazards are cutting Silestone, a material made of quartz that releases dangerous silica.

United States physicians have identified at least 18 countertop workers with silicosis thus far, and the data shows it might be increasing. Officials worry more cases are out there, given that the countertop fabrication industry in the U.S. has around 100,000 workers.

One case demonstrates the severity of the situation at hand. Ulbester Rodriguez is from Mexico, and he came the United States at age 14. He spoke no English, did not receive a formal education, and worked in restaurant kitchens until changing jobs and working with countertop cutting.

Since 2000, Rodriguez has worked on cutting and polishing slabs of an artificial stone to make kitchen and bathroom countertops. He said the stuff looked a lot like natural granite, but in reality, it was made in a factory from bits of quartz bound together by a resin.

According to NPR, this kind of engineered stone marketed as quartz is now one of the most popular options for kitchen and bathrooms in the United States.

However, this stuff has proven to be a serious hazard, especially when its dust is inhaled. Many workers have gotten sick and even died after cutting this engineered stone and breathing its dust, say public health issues. Some groups are even calling for a ban on selling engineered quartz for countertops.

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US Countertop Workers Falling Sick from Silica Dust - Occupational Health and Safety