Bill Would Block Sick Countertop Cutters From Suing

Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., are considering legislation that would protect manufacturers of popular quartz countertops from worker lawsuits, even as California regulators debate whether to ban cutting the material altogether. The debate centers on engineered stone quartz, a staple in kitchens and bathrooms that can release high levels of silica dust when cut or polished.

Breathing in silica dust can cause silicosis, an incurable lung disease. Since 2019, nearly 500 California countertop workers have been diagnosed with the illness, according to NPR. More than 50 have required lung transplants, and at least 27 have died—most of them young Hispanic men. Similar cases have been reported in Texas, New York, Colorado, Washington, and Massachusetts. California health officials say that despite stricter safety rules, many small and midsize fabrication shops still dry-cut stone and often fail to provide proper respiratory protection.

Cambria, the industry’s largest U.S. manufacturer and based in Minnesota, argues that quartz itself is not the problem. Instead, the company says unsafe fabrication practices are to blame. Cambria’s chief legal officer, Rebecca Shult, told a House Judiciary subcommittee that the company uses wet-cutting methods and advanced ventilation systems in its own facilities. She criticized what she described as “American sweatshops” that ignore safety standards. Although Cambria faces roughly 400 lawsuits from workers employed by outside shops, Shult argues the company should not be held responsible for conditions in workplaces it does not control.

Distributors have also pushed back, saying they are being named in dozens of lawsuits despite never cutting stone themselves. They are urging Congress to shift responsibility toward shop-level safety practices and stronger enforcement of OSHA regulations.

Worker advocates strongly oppose the proposal, warning that shielding manufacturers from liability would remove key incentives to protect workers. Former OSHA chief David Michaels called the measure “a death sentence for workers,” arguing that limited staffing and shrinking budgets make it impossible for regulators alone to oversee thousands of small fabrication shops.

In California, occupational health specialists are calling for a ban on high-silica engineered stone, following Australia’s lead. They say research shows dangerous dust levels even in facilities that attempt to use safety controls. One physician estimates that about 12% of California’s 4,000 countertop workers already suffer from serious silica-related disease, a situation he describes as “impossible to tolerate.” Multiple studies underscore the urgency of the issue. The Texas Tribune has reported extensively on the matter.

Original Source