Overview
- California public health officials issued an urgent advisory on artificial-stone–associated silicosis and made the condition reportable statewide.
- CDPH’s surveillance counts 447 confirmed cases as of Dec. 4, including 25 deaths and 49 lung transplants, with cases concentrated in Los Angeles (236), Orange (90) and San Diego (36) counties.
- Massachusetts DPH announced its first confirmed case in this industry—a man in his 40s who worked 14 years in fabrication and reported very dusty conditions, limited wet methods and thin surgical masks.
- California requires clinicians to report suspected or confirmed cases within seven days, and a new law taking effect in January 2026 will route cases to Cal/OSHA for investigation and information-sharing.
- Health officials and researchers warn that standard controls may not fully protect workers from engineered-stone dust, prompting calls for lower-silica material choices and, by some experts, a ban on crystalline-silica slabs.