The popularity of engineered stone, the most common material for US countertops, has come at a severe cost, with hundreds of workers contracting severe lung illnesses from inhaling toxic silica dust during fabrication. An estimated 100,000 US stone fabrication workers have been potentially exposed to high levels of respirable crystalline silica. In California alone, at least 32 workers have died and 72 have undergone lung transplants due to silicosis linked to engineered stone. The California Department of Public Health identified 592 cases of severe engineered stone silicosis in workers between January 2019 and June 2026, with an additional 39 cases, 9 lung transplants, and 4 deaths identified since then, bringing the total to 631 cases, 74 lung transplantations, and 35 deaths as of August 13. The majority of affected workers are Latino men, with a median age at diagnosis of 46 years.
Manufacturers of engineered stone, including Caesarstone USA, Cambria Co. LLC, and Cosentino Group, are facing a wave of lawsuits from sick workers and their families, posing an existential threat to the industry. Caesarstone USA, a publicly traded company, has disclosed lawsuits covering at least 800 people worldwide, with about 600 in the US. The company faces potential losses of up to $13 million per claim and is appealing a $52 million jury verdict in California. Its litigation losses more than tripled last year to at least $25.6 million, and its stock price has fallen from a high of $71.74 to around $1. These manufacturers have lobbied Congress for legislation, such as the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Stone Slab Products Act (H.R. 5437), to shield themselves from these lawsuits.
Regulatory bodies are increasing efforts to address the issue. OSHA issued over $115,000 in fines against two Georgia-based stone product manufacturers. Cal/OSHA has issued more than 900 silica-related citations totaling approximately $1.9 million in proposed penalties. California has also strengthened silica-safety training and reporting requirements through Senate Bill 20, signed in October 2025. In May, California workplace safety regulators recommended a ban on engineered stone fabrication, determining that regulating the material would not eliminate associated risks. While some shop owners support a ban, they also express concern that broad mandates might disproportionately affect compliant businesses and fail to curb non-compliant operators.
