Quartz Countertops Expose Young Men to Silicosis, Special Measures Needed To Protect the Workers From Lung Damage

For the past decade, quartz has been the most popular material in kitchen countertops, which is expected to continue in the following years. This material is produced by engineering stone from ground-up quartz particles bound together using resins.

Quartz countertop has become a popular choice for bathrooms and kitchens due to their useful properties, such as high durability and resistance against stains and cracks. However, it was found out that this fancy material might be killing the workers who make them.

A Significant Health Hazard

Experts have already been raising health concerns around engineered quartz countertops for years. In 2014, the first reported case of lung damage associated with quartz exposure in North America involved a worker at a stone countertop firm. After polishing and fabricating stone countertops for a decade, the worker suffered from silicosis, a lung disease caused by the inhalation of silica.

In the U.S., California took the initiative to become the first state that will adopt safety measures to protect the workers who make kitchen and bathroom quartz countertops. This is because more countertops workers, mostly Latino men, acquire an irreversible lung disease after inhaling the dust while cutting and grinding quartz.

The federal government regulates how much airborne silica a worker can be exposed to. Authorities also set regulations for controlling dust using wet cutting, adequate ventilation, and respirators.

However, safety officials in California examined its countertop industry in 2019 and 2020 and found that about 72% of the fabrication facilities are out of compliance with the existing standard. In addition to this, health officials have also identified 77 affected workers who face the risk of developing silicosis.

In response to this health concern, the Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board in California has committed to fast-track the development of new rules that will protect the countertop fabrication workers.

What is Silicosis?

Engineered quartz countertops are made by mixing crushed quartz stone, polymer resin, and dyes. They contain a significant amount of silica, a mineral also present in sand, clay, and other stones.

When a worker inhales the fine silica dust over a long period of time, the particles can get inside their lungs, causing swollen and scarred lung tissue. This can lead to shortness of breath, coughing, and other more serious conditions such as kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or lung cancer. This long-term lung disease is known as silicosis.

According to the National Health Service, the symptoms of silicosis may take many years to develop, and the affected person may not notice any health problems until after they stop working with silica dust. The disease itself usually develops after a person gets exposed to silica for 10-20 years. Meanwhile, the symptoms can worsen even if the patient is no longer exposed to the dust.

There is currently no cure for silicosis, and the damage cannot be reversed once it is done. Health experts focus on slowing the advancement of the disease and on relieving its symptoms. To keep the disease from worsening, the patient is advised to stop further exposure to silica.