California moves closer to banning work involving countertops containing silica

California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health has issued a draft emergency rule to ban the fabrication of artificial stone countertops containing more than 1% crystalline silica. The regulation aims to protect workers from silicosis, a serious lung disease caused by inhaling silica dust during countertop manufacturing and installation.

Oakland, CA — The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health has published a draft of its emergency rule that would prohibit fabrications of artificial stone countertops containing more than 1% crystalline silica. A California Department of Public Health dashboard on silicosis – a lung…

This story was originally published by Safety+Health Magazine.