The Hidden Dangers of Silica Dust: Why Engineered Stone ...

Dec. 30, 2024

The Hidden Dangers of Silica Dust: Why Engineered Stone ...

When fabricated and installed correctly, nothing beats quartz countertops for durability and looks. Recent news from California has highlighted the risks of purchasing quartz countertops from unsafe countertop fabricators. These bad actors are typically the cheapest of the cheap subcontractors, operating out of unmarked vans and trucks, often unlicensed and employing immigrants in exploitive &#;under-the-table&#; cash payment arrangements with no benefits and no safety net. If your fabricator is offering to cut countertops onsite, you might be putting both your jobsite and those countertop installers at risk. Silicosis is a serious lung disease caused by inhaling crystalline silica dust. In the countertop industry, workers who cut and finish stone slabs for countertops are at high risk. You can be too if your countertop installer is not taking care of their business and their team. Here&#;s what you need to know:

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What is Silicosis?

Silicosis results from scarring of the lungs due to exposure to silica dust. It&#;s progressive, irreversible, and sometimes fatal. The disease develops when fine particles of crystalline silica are inhaled and become lodged in the lungs. Over time, these particles cause inflammation and scarring, leading to symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, and in severe cases, respiratory failure.

Why the Countertop Industry is at Risk

Engineered stone countertops, made from quartz-based composite materials, have become increasingly popular in homes and businesses. However, they contain high levels of silica (typically exceeding 90%), making them a significant health risk for workers who handle them. The fabrication process involves cutting, grinding, and polishing the stone, which releases fine silica dust into the air. Without proper safety measures, workers can inhale this dust, leading to the development of silicosis over time. Over the past 10-years many hand-fabrication focused shops have been founded. These shops do not cut or polish their material in a wet enviornment. Often time they ship raw slabs directly to jobsites and have the workers cut and polish the countertops dry, on-site. While there can be some touch-up work needed onsite, spending several hours fabricating material dry, as some of these shops do, is patently dangerous and frankly unecessary.

Why Should Customers Like You Care?

You might wonder why you should be concerned about the health risks associated with the countertop industry. Here are a few reasons:

Health and Safety Advocacy: By understanding the risks, customers can advocate for safer working conditions. This includes ensuring that the companies they buy from prioritize worker safety by implementing stringent dust control measures and providing protective equipment.
Informed Choices: Hygiene-conscious consumers often choose engineered stone for its non-porous surface, which is resistant to stains and bacteria. However, it&#;s crucial to balance these benefits with the potential health risks involved in its production.
Ethical Responsibility: Supporting companies that prioritize the health and safety of their workers aligns with broader ethical and social responsibility. Customers can influence industry practices by choosing to buy from responsible fabricators.

Ask Your Countertop Fabricator About Their Safety Standards

To ensure that you are making informed and responsible choices, you should ask your countertop fabricators the following questions:

Material Origin: Inquire about the source of the stone. Is it natural or engineered? If it is engineered, ask about the silica content. Understanding the material composition helps assess the potential health risks.
Fabrication Practices: Ask how the countertops are cut, finished, and installed. Ensure that the fabricator follows safe practices, such as wet cutting, which reduces dust generation, and proper ventilation systems to control dust exposure.
Worker Safety: Customers can advocate for worker safety by asking fabricators about the protective measures they have in place. This includes the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as respirators and gloves, and regular health screenings for workers to monitor any signs of silicosis.
Certifications: Look for fabricators who follow safety guidelines and have certifications related to silica exposure. Certifications from reputable organizations indicate a commitment to maintaining high safety standards.

The Role of Regulations and Industry Standards

Regulations and industry standards play a critical role in protecting workers from the dangers of silica dust. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations set permissible exposure limits and require employers to implement control measures to minimize exposure. Customers can inquire if their fabricator complies with OSHA regulations or other relevant standards. If you see something that feels sketchy, it probably is sketchy and you can report your concerns to OSHA here.

Additionally, industry associations such as the International Surface Fabricators Association and the Natural Stone Institute and often provide guidelines and resources for best practices in handling silica-containing materials. Customers can ask if their fabricator is a member of such associations and adheres to their guidelines. Currently ISFA and the NSA are working on new industry guidelines intended to better regulate bad actors and to keep our workforce safe.

Conclusion: Unlicensed or Unsafe Countertop Contractors May Be Cheaper Options in the Short-Term but Much More Costly to Everyone&#;s Health and Safety

Engineered stone countertops offer aesthetic benefits and practical advantages, but customers can and should also prioritize safety from their fabricators. By asking informed questions and choosing responsible fabricators, they can support ethical practices that protect workers from the severe health risks associated with silica exposure. Understanding the hidden dangers of silica dust helps consumers make better choices, promoting a healthier and safer industry for everyone involved.

Tops Countertops is proud to maintain an above industry average safety rating with OSHA. We have been members of the NSI and ISFA for many years, and strive to continually improve our safety requirements. We utilize wet cutting and polishing equipment designed to minimize any danger from silica dust. Quartz CAN be sold and installed just as safely as tile, hardwood, or any other material and we are here to do your job safely, on-budget, and on-time.

The Tops Countertop Fabrication Team

Engineered Stone Ban: What Australians Need to Know

Engineered stone benchtops are phenomenally popular but a national ban on the product is now in place. In a world-first landmark decision back in November , the Australian Commonwealth, state and territory government workplace ministers unanimously agreed to a national ban on the product. This is due to the risk of workers developing a serious lung disease called silicosis.

Often cheaper than natural marble and considered more durable because it&#;s scratch-resistant and less porous, engineered stone has been a handy alternative benchtop material. This is especially true in hardworking areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. While industry leaders are disappointed with the decision, it seems safe to say that Australia&#;s love affair with engineered stone is officially over.

When did the ban on engineered stone start?

The prohibition commenced on 1 July . It prevents persons from carrying out work on, or with engineered stone including manufacturing, supplying, processing and installing engineered stone. The ban does not apply to the repair, minor modification, removal or disposal of engineered stone already installed.

Bunnings and IKEA have already removed engineered stone from shelves. Following the announcement of the ban on 14th November , Safe Work Australia has welcomed the decision which it says will save lives and will begin work to draft amendments to Work Health and Safety Regulations prohibiting the use of engineered stone. Safe Work Australia will also develop a national framework to ensure the safety of anyone modifying or removing existing engineered stone products.

What happens to engineered stone products already specified?

Until the commencement of the prohibition of the use of engineered stone, workers and businesses can continue to work with the stone, &#;in a controlled way&#; says Safe Work Australia. These methods include protective equipment for workers and the use of a wet cutting system, dust extraction and appropriate ventilation at the work site.

Can we still use imported engineered stone?

Regardless of where engineered stone is manufactured, the fine dust produced when cutting, shaping or polishing the product puts workers at risk of developing silicosis. According to reports the federal government also plans to ban imported engineered stone, however, details are yet to be understood of how this will take effect.

It&#;s believed the rise in popularity of engineered stone benchtops with a high silica content has contributed to an increase in cases of silicosis in workers. (Photography: Claire McFerran) (Credit: Photography: Claire McFerran)

What is silicosis?

Silicosis is a previously rare, long-term lung disease caused by inhaling a fine dust containing silica (also known as respirable crystalline silica, or RCS). Quartz is a type of crystalline silica. Silicosis can be fatal, while exposure to silica dust can also lead to lung cancer and other diseases. Once fabricated and installed in your home, however, engineered stone doesn&#;t pose any health risks.

Modelling by Curtin University predicts that up to 10,000 Australians will develop lung cancer, and 103,000 with silicosis, in their lifetime after inhaling silica dust. It&#;s estimated that more than half a million Aussies are currently exposed to it at work. This is why silica dust has been dubbed &#;the new asbestos&#;.

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It&#;s not just workers that could be affected. Although their lifetime exposure will be lower, DIY renovators can now cut and install certain lightweight, silica-containing engineered stone products at home themselves.

Stainless steel doesn&#;t contain any silica, so it&#;s a wise choice if you&#;re updating your kitchen benchtops. (Photography: Eleanor Byrne) (Credit: Photography: Eleanor Byrne)

Why was the engineered stone ban put in place?

Ministers agreed to the ban and it was announced on 14th December . This came after federal, state and territory ministers asked Safe Work Australia to &#;scope out&#; what a ban would look like back in February . Safe Work are now drafting amendments to regulations for workplaces to manage silica dust, and how to safely remove or demolish bench tops in the future. The national construction union, the CFMEU, welcomed the ban on engineered stone. They told the ABC the ban would save lives and, &#;stop the deadly scourge of silicosis in its tracks&#;.

In October Commonwealth, state and territory ministers met and agreed to Safe Work Australia publishing their findings. The Impact Statement provided an analysis of the regulatory impacts of a ban on engineered stone under WHS laws. This includes engineered stone containing 40% or more crystalline silica.

The report&#;s finding called for more stringent industry regulation and recommended a complete prohibition on the use of engineered stone. A total ban highlights the serious risk of silicosis posed by working with engineered stone (even those with 40% or more crystalline silica, for which there is no evidence to prove poses less risk to worker health and safety). It also urges persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs), including designers, importers and manufacturers, to eliminate or minimise the risks to workers and others when working with engineered stone.

Is banning engineered stone the answer?

&#;Banning engineered stone is absolutely the right decision because we have mountains of scientific evidence that demonstrate the product can&#;t be worked on safely,&#; says Kate Cole OAM, an engineer and scientist with a focus on crystalline silica. There are safety measures in place, she concedes. These include wet cutting, using tools that extract dust and wearing high-quality respiratory masks. The issue is that they&#;re not being adhered to by all players.

&#;Manufactured stone businesses are typically small-to-medium enterprises, or SMEs, with six to 10 workers on average. What we have seen over many years is poor safety standards adopted across the industry. Dry cutting is abominable, but even with wet cutting, the exposure (to silica dust) is still high. A line in the sand must be drawn.&#;

Sustainably sourced timber is an excellent alternative material for kitchen benchtops, and adds warmth to the space (bonus). (Photography: Angelita Bonetti) (Credit: Photography: Angelita Bonetti)

What are the alternatives to engineered stone?

Silica dust isn&#;t just found in engineered stone benchtops. It can also be present in natural stone, bricks, tiles, concrete, mortar and some plastic material. It&#;s the proportion of silica dust content that matters.

Marble, for example, contains 2% silica; granite typically contains 30%; sandstone contains between 70 and 95%. Engineered stone contains up to 97%. If you&#;re shopping for a new benchtop, choosing a stone with a lower percentage of silica will reduce the risk to workers.

For example:

Cosentino&#;s engineered stone products Silestone Q10 and Q40 contain less than 10% and 40% crystalline silica, respectively.
Caesarstone&#;s Porcelain range also boasts less than 40% silica.
Timber , stainless steel and laminate contain little or no silica.

&#;There are lots of other alternatives,&#; says Kate. &#;If none of them will work, then there are low-silica products. At the end of the day, not using stone that contains a high amount of quartz is the real message here.&#;

Marble is a low-silica option for kitchen benchtops and splashbacks, as seen in this gorgeous Southern Highlands kitchen. (Photography: Natalie Hunfalvay | Styling: Lisa Burden) (Credit: Photography: Natalie Hunfalvay | Styling: Lisa Burden)

The Hidden Dangers of Silica Dust: Why Engineered Stone ...