NOVATO, Calif., Jan. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Brayton Purcell LLP has submitted a detailed letter to the United States Congress and the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board outlining the severity, scope, and causes of the rapidly escalating silicosis crisis among artificial stone fabrication workers. The letter reflects the experiences of approximately 700 workers represented by the firm—nearly 500 in California and almost 200 across 22 additional states—who have developed silicosis and related diseases after exposure to the nano‑sized silica dust particles released when crystalline silica artificial stone is fabricated.
Crystalline silica artificial stone, also referred to as quartz, engineered stone, artificial stone, or manufactured stone, is composed of at least 90% silica. The remaining approximate 10% consists of toxic metals and resins and carcinogenic VOCs. According to hundreds of global medical and scientific publications, the fabrication of artificial stone releases ultrafine, nano‑sized, crystalline silica particles that cannot be adequately controlled, even in sophisticated fabrication environments. The firm’s letter strongly supports the Western Occupational and Environmental Medical Association’s (WOEMA) petition to prohibit crystalline silica artificial stone in California and opposes both the ISFA alternative proposal and the federal HR 5437 bill, which would bar civil lawsuits against foreign slab manufacturers.
A Worsening Public Health Emergency
The letter highlights alarming data from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH):
“To date 487 fabrication workers in California alone have confirmed silicosis, and at least 688 of 1,276 fabrication shops—approximately 54%—have documented cases.”
This data demonstrates that the crisis is not isolated to a small number of “bad actor” shops, as has been suggested by foreign slab manufacturers and their aligned organizations. Instead, the pervasive nature of the disease across wet and sophisticated shops indicates that the product itself is the hazard.
Artificial Stone Is Too Hazardous to Fabricate Safely
The firm’s submission details the scientific evidence demonstrating that artificial stone cannot be fabricated safely, even when advanced controls are used:
“Over 100 published peer‑reviewed scientific and medical studies underscore the impossibility of its safe fabrication.”
“The unique toxicity of artificial stone arises from its extremely high silica content, the ultra‑fine nano‑sized dust particles released during fabrication, and the presence of toxic metals, pigments, and resins.”
The letter emphasizes that natural stone fabrication historically produced a global silicosis rate of zero among countertop workers. It was only after crystalline silica artificial stone became widely used that accelerated silicosis emerged—and then surged.
International and Medical Consensus
Medical authorities across the United States—and globally—agree that artificial stone has created a preventable epidemic. In its submissions, Brayton Purcell LLP cites broad support:
“The 600+ occupational medicine doctors of WOEMA have petitioned the CAL‑OSHA Standards Board to prohibit crystalline silica artificial stone slabs.”
“The Cal‑OSHA Standards Board medical and scientific staff, the AFL‑CIO, Worksafe, Inc., the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, and leading physicians from UCLA, UCSF, UCSD, UCI, University of Chicago, Cedars‑Sinai, and others concur.”
The letter reiterates a point raised repeatedly in these testimonies: the only effective means to stop the epidemic is to remove the source of exposure by prohibiting crystalline silica artificial stone.
The Australian Model Demonstrates a Path Forward
The firm highlights Australia’s response as a real‑world example of a safe, successful transition:
“After Australia banned crystalline silica artificial stone, the industry switched to non‑toxic recycled glass slabs, which contain amorphous silica instead of nano‑sized crystalline silica. There were no job losses, no market disruption, and fabrication work continued using existing equipment.”
Recycled glass slabs and natural stone remain viable options that workers can fabricate safely.
Manufacturers and Lobby Groups Driving Opposition
The letter explains the economic forces behind the push to maintain artificial stone in the United States:
“Ninety‑nine percent of crystalline silica artificial stone slabs are manufactured by foreign companies across 17 countries, generating more than $25 billion annually from sales to U.S. markets.”
“ISFA and other groups opposing the WOEMA petition do not represent actual fabrication workers. Their positions reflect the interests of foreign slab manufacturers and the remaining U.S. producer, Cambria USA.”
Worker testimony, medical findings, and public health data sharply contradict the claims advanced by these groups.
A Moral Responsibility to Act Now
The letter concludes with a clear call for immediate action:
“Workers are dying, and the clock is ticking. Artificial stone is uniquely toxic. It cannot be fabricated safely by human beings. Safer alternatives already exist. No jobs would be lost by adopting the WOEMA petition, and countless lives would be saved.”
Brayton Purcell LLP urges Congress and the Cal‑OSHA Standards Board to adopt the WOEMA petition, reject the ISFA proposal, and reject the HR 5437 bill that would prevent workers from holding foreign manufacturers accountable.
TO READ THE COMPLETE LETTER to Congress and the Cal-OSHA Standards Board, click here.
About Brayton Purcell LLP
Brayton Purcell LLP is an experienced and accomplished law firm that has represented workers harmed by toxic exposures for decades. The firm is deeply committed to advocating for those suffering from silicosis and other occupational diseases caused by hazardous products.
Media contact:
Nolan Lowry
nlowry@braytonlaw.com
(415) 399-3107
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SOURCE Brayton Purcell LLP
