California Weighs Rare Ban on Quartz Countertops Amid Silicosis Surge

State officials consider prohibiting engineered-stone fabrication after more than 500 cases and dozens of deaths among countertop workers.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 1:10am

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A glowing neon outline of a quartz countertop slab, with the internal structure and crystalline silica particles visible as pulsing, electric lines against a deep black background, conceptually illustrating the health risks of engineered stone fabrication.As California considers banning the fabrication of high-silica engineered stone, the ghostly, neon-lit outline of a countertop slab reveals the hidden health risks to workers.Los Angeles Today

California workplace regulators are weighing a potential ban on fabricating and installing engineered stone, the glossy quartz countertops that have become popular in home remodels, after a surge of devastating lung disease among countertop workers. The move comes as state and county disease tracking show more than 500 confirmed silicosis cases and roughly three dozen deaths among countertop workers since 2019.

Why it matters

The proposed ban on engineered stone fabrication highlights growing public health concerns over the risks posed by crystalline silica exposure among construction and fabrication workers. If enacted, it could reshape the kitchen and bathroom remodeling industry across California, forcing a shift away from the popular quartz countertops.

The details

The Western Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association has formally petitioned the state Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to prohibit fabrication and installation of engineered stone that contains more than 1% crystalline silica. The group argues this is the only reliable way to prevent more deaths among workers who cut and polish the material. Regulators say they are leaning harder on enforcement, with the Standards Board adopting emergency silica protections in late 2023 and Cal/OSHA conducting inspections, issuing citations, and ordering shops to provide required respiratory protection. Juries have also delivered substantial awards against manufacturers and distributors, undermining industry arguments that better workplace controls alone can solve the problem.

  • In December, the Western Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association filed a formal petition with the state Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board.
  • The Standards Board adopted emergency silica protections in late 2023.
  • As of March 12, 2026, San Diego County reported 529 confirmed silicosis cases and 29 deaths among countertop workers.
  • The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board is scheduled to hold its next public meeting on May 21, 2026, in Los Angeles, where members are expected to continue taking testimony and weigh how to respond to the petition.

The players

Western Occupational and Environmental Medicine Association

A group that has formally petitioned the state Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to prohibit fabrication and installation of engineered stone that contains more than 1% crystalline silica.

California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board

The state regulatory body that is weighing the potential ban on engineered stone fabrication and installation.

Cal/OSHA

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, which has conducted inspections, issued citations, and ordered shops to provide required respiratory protection.

Department of Industrial Relations

The state agency that says the Standards Board has made the emergency silica protections permanent to strengthen worker protections and create a formal path for additional action if needed.

Manufacturers and trade groups

Industry representatives who are pushing back against a ban, arguing that engineered stone can be worked safely if employers follow strict controls.

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What’s next

The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board is scheduled to hold its next public meeting on May 21, 2026, in Los Angeles, where members are expected to continue taking testimony and to weigh how to respond to the petition and steadily rising case numbers.

The takeaway

This potential ban on engineered stone fabrication highlights the urgent need to protect construction and fabrication workers from the devastating health impacts of crystalline silica exposure. The debate over whether strict workplace controls or an outright material ban is the best solution will have far-reaching implications for the home remodeling industry and public health.