As  the title of this article suggests, quartz, in as abundant, useful, spiritual, glittering and stunningly beautiful as it is, happens to also have a very dark or “shadow” side which must be understood and diligently respected. If not, the consequences could lead to an array of health issues ranging from compromised breathing to death.

Members of the stone industry from across North America gathered during Coverings 2024 in Atlanta, GA, for the State of the Stone Industry discussion presented by the Natural Stone Institute (NSI) to talk about pressing issues affecting fabricators.  

Pacific Shore Stones will host a Stone Industry Education event on Thursday, March 7th at its facility in North Hollywood, CA, with a special focus on Cal/OSHA silica regulations and their impact on California fabricators.

The Natural Stone Institute (NSI) announced the newly updated Silica & Slab Safety Certificate.

In July, the State of California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (CAL-OSHA) took steps to further protect stone industry employees against the dangers of silicosis. CAL-OSHA approved creation of an advisory committee to strengthen existing regulations through an emergency measure with a priority to address dry-cutting and dry-polishing activities utilized by some fabricators.

The Cleveland Clinic is working with the Natural Stone Institute and its members to better understand how the engineered stone industry is approaching silica dust control, silicosis medical screen and prevention.