As Engineered Stone Surges in Popularity, Workers Face Deadly Silicosis Risks

By Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel

In Texas and across the U.S., artificial stone has become a go-to material for kitchen and bathroom countertops, prized for its durability, low maintenance and affordability. But as engineered stone has captured a growing share of the market, an alarming trend has emerged: a rising number of workers who cut and fabricate the material are being diagnosed with silicosis, a progressive and incurable lung disease.

Since the first known case of silicosis was linked to a countertop worker in Texas in 2014, the number of workers diagnosed with silicosis has risen sharply as sales of the products have increased.

Why are Construction Workers Falling Victim to Silicosis?

Artificial stone countertops contain as much as 95 percent pulverized crystalline silica mixed with resins, adhesives and pigments, significantly higher than natural stones like granite or marble. When workers cut, polish or grind the slabs, extremely fine silica dust is released in the air. Once inhaled, the particles embed in the lungs and cause inflammation, scarring and permanent respiratory damage.

“It’s heartbreaking to see young workers in their thirties and forties facing serious damage like this,” said attorney Camille Hunt of Dallas- and Los Angeles-based Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel, which represents workers diagnosed with silicosis. “Minor cases of silicosis can be managed, but for those with serious cases, the only hope for survival is a lung transplant.”

The Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel law firm represents more than 70 countertop workers diagnosed with silicosis. In each case, workers reported that manufacturers of the products provided no warnings about the dangers of silica exposure or any guidance on how to protect themselves while fabricating, cutting, polishing or installing the products.

The lawsuits allege that certain manufacturers knew the risks but did not disclose them. Manufacturers named in litigation have denied wrongdoing or have not commented publicly.

“The tragedy is that manufacturers have long known about the dangers, and the risks these workers face are preventable,” Hunt said.

In 2024, a Los Angeles jury awarded a stoneworker $52 million after finding several companies, including Caesarstone, liable for his illness. That verdict has since been appealed by the defendants.

A Vulnerable Workforce

Many of the workers diagnosed with silicosis are undocumented laborers who may be reluctant to report early health-related symptoms. Advocates say the true number of cases is almost certainly higher than what is documented. Families are left to manage a serious medical condition that can require extensive long-term treatment. Lung transplants routinely cost more than $1 million, and younger patients may require more than one transplant during their lifetime.

“You can live for decades with mild silicosis,” Hunt said. “If you have serious silicosis, you will die unless you get a lung transplant.

Artificial stone countertops — also known as engineered quartz — are sold under a range of brand names, including Caesarstone, Cambria, Silestone and Vicostone.

A Modern Disease with Old Roots

For generations, silicosis was primarily associated with mining and natural-stone cutting. But the engineered stone industry has revived the threat due to the material’s extremely high silica content and the polymer resins and dyes used in its manufacture.

A 2023 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine identified 52 countertop workers—most of them immigrants—who developed silicosis after prolonged exposure to silica dust. Nearly half had advanced disease. More than a dozen were referred for lung transplants, and 10 had died. Researchers warned that as many as 100,000 stone fabrication workers nationwide may be at similar risk. The median age of these workers was 45, and all but one of the subjects in the study were Latino.

Nationwide, the U.S. stone fabrication industry includes nearly 9,000 establishments employing close to 100,000 people, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As cases continue to surface, medical and workplace-safety experts warn that current regulations may not be sufficient to protect workers from this modern wave of an age-old occupational disease.

Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel is a national plaintiffs’ law firm handling serious injury, toxic exposure, product liability, sexual abuse, qui tam cases and more.