General Information on Silica In Countertop Fabrication
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have previously identified exposure to silica as a health hazard to workers involved in manufacturing, finishing, and installing natural and manufactured (i.e., man-made, engineered, artificial, or cultured) stone.
Workers in the stone countertop industry saw, grind, polish, and drill slabs of natural (mostly granite) and manufactured stone as part of manufacturing, finishing, and installing countertops. The highest silica levels are associated with manufactured countertops, where crystalline silica is mixed with resins, adhesives, and pigments.
Depending on the type of stone in question, these countertops may contain over 90% silica. Engineered stone, for example, contains at least 93% silica. This hazard can be mitigated with simple and effective dust controls including wet cutting, dust collection methods,and use of appropriate respiratory protection. We encourage you to review the below resources created by OSHA and the Natural Stone Institute for additional information on reducing silica exposure in countertop fabrication.
Additional Resources
- OSHA Worker Exposure To Silica During Countertop Manufacturing
- OSHA’s Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard For The General Industry
- Natural Stone Institute Silica Page
- Proposition 65 Warnings: www.P65warnings.ca.gov
- State of California Department of Industrial Relations Work Safe with Silica Website
- California Respirable Crystalline Silica Standards and Resources
- California Silica Emergency Temporary Standard – What Employers Need to Know
- California Silica Emergency Temporary Standard: Information for Employers
- California Silica Emergency Temporary Standard: Information for Workers
- Respirable Crystalline Silica Focused Inspection Initiative in the Engineered Stone Fabrication and Installation Industries
- LA County Department of Public Health Silica Awareness Page
- Understanding Respirable Crystalline Silica Video
- OSHA’s Respirable Crystalline Standard for Construction
- OSHA Small Entity Compliance Guide for the Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard for General Industry and Maritime
- OSHA Small Entity Compliance Guide for the Respirable Crystalline Silica Standard for Construction