Silicosis among Workers Fabricating Engineered Stone ("Quartz") Countertops in California, 2019-2026

AbstractFrom January 2019 through June 2026, the California Department of Public Health identified 592 cases of silicosis among workers fabricating crystalline silica-containing engineered stone countertops. Of those, 65 underwent lung transplantation, and 31 died. Silicosis is preventable with reduction or elimination of silica dust exposure. Although surveillance findings have prompted regulatory and legislative changes in California, workers continue to be exposed to hazardous levels of respirable crystalline silica. Protecting workers from further exposure will require a multifaceted approach, including clinicians' identifying and reporting of cases to public health authorities, improved surveillance by local and state jurisdictions, and policy changes.