US EditionBrayton Purcell LLP Highlights Massachusetts Safety Alert After State's First Silicosis Case in Artificial Stone Industry
Massachusetts Department of Public Health warns of unavoidable silica exposure risks amid nationwide surge in silicosis cases linked to artificial stone fabrication.
- On Dec. 13, 2025 Brayton Purcell LLP highlighted a Massachusetts Department of Public Health safety alert after Massachusetts confirmed its first silicosis case tied to artificial stone countertop fabrication.
- Crystalline silica artificial stone contains at least 90% nano‑sized crystalline silica, and peer‑reviewed scientific studies show harmful exposure can occur during fabrication even with controls.
- The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said the confirmed case involves a Hispanic man who fabricated artificial stone countertops, urging employers in fabrication and installation to enforce dust controls, provide respirators, and enroll workers in medical surveillance programs.
- This development underscores a growing public‑health crisis tied to crystalline silica exposure during fabrication, while California confirmed 447 cases by December 2025 illustrating the U.S. outbreak.
- Internationally, Australia banned artificial stone in 2024 in response to its health hazards, and public-health guidance emphasizes medical surveillance and screening programs for early detection of silicosis.
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70 Articles
The Berkshire Eagle
Brayton Purcell LLP Highlights Massachusetts Safety Alert After State's First Silicosis Case in Artificial Stone Industry
Law firm urges awareness as state confirms first case linked to artificial stone countertops fabrication; nationwide surge signals urgent public health concern.
Mass. DPH announces first confirmed silicosis case
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued a safety alert urging employers in the stone countertop fabrication industry to protect workers from silica dust exposure, following the first confirmed case of silicosis among this workforce in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts reports first silicosis case linked to countertop fabrication in Hispanic worker
A Hispanic man in his 40s from Massachusetts, who spent 14 years fabricating and installing engineered stone countertops, has been diagnosed with silicosis—an incurable and potentially fatal lung disease caused by inhaling fine silica dust. This marks the state's first confirmed case linked to t
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