I Worked Around Silica Dust. How Do I Know If I Have Silicosis?

Attention California artificial-stone and countertop workers - Learn the warning signs of silicosis, what medical evaluation may involve, and what legal rights may be available.

 

Numerous stone-fabrication businesses operate throughout Los Angeles County, including the San Fernando Valley and communities such as Pacoima, Sun Valley and Van Nuys. If you have worked cutting, grinding, drilling, polishing, fabricating, or installing artificial stone, engineered stone, or quartz countertops, you may have been exposed to dangerous levels of respirable crystalline silica.

The danger is that silica dust can contain particles so small that they can be inhaled deep into the lungs. Repeated or intense exposure can cause silicosis, a serious and irreversible occupational lung disease. Engineered stone is of particular concern because some products contain more than 90% crystalline silica.

You should also know that silicosis is not always obvious at first. Symptoms may develop gradually, and the time between exposure and illness depends in part on how intense and prolonged the exposure was.

1. What Is Silicosis?

Silicosis is a lung disease caused by inhaling excessive amounts of respirable crystalline silica (RCS). These extremely small particles can penetrate deep into the lungs, where they cause inflammation and scarring.

Over time, this scarring can interfere with the lungs' ability to take in oxygen. Silicosis is progressive, can cause permanent disability, and in severe cases can be fatal. There is currently no known cure.

Workers involved in artificial-stone countertop fabrication are considered particularly at risk. In 2026, NIOSH reported that engineered stone—also called artificial, manufactured, or quartz stone—typically contains over 90% crystalline silica.

2. What Are the Symptoms of Silicosis?

Symptoms can include:

• Shortness of breath, particularly during physical activity;
• Persistent cough;
• Fatigue;
• Chest pain; and
• Progressive difficulty breathing.

These symptoms are not unique to silicosis. A cough or shortness of breath could be caused by many different medical conditions. That is why a history of occupational exposure to silica is so important.

According to NIOSH, silica exposure is also associated with other serious illnesses, including lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), kidney disease and certain autoimmune diseases. Workers with silicosis are also at increased risk of tuberculosis.

3. How Do I Know If I Actually Have Silicosis?

Symptoms alone cannot diagnose silicosis.

If you have worked around artificial stone or significant amounts of silica dust, tell your doctor specifically about your occupational exposure. Do not simply tell the doctor that you worked “in construction.” Explain what you actually did.

Tell your healthcare provider whether you:

• Cut, ground, drilled or polished stone;
• Fabricated artificial-stone or quartz countertops;
• Worked around other employees performing those tasks;
• Worked with stone when it was dry;
• Regularly saw dust in the workplace;
• Used wet-cutting or dust-suppression equipment;
• Were provided respiratory protection; and
• Performed this work for months or years.

NIOSH identifies three basic components to diagnosing silicosis: a history of respirable crystalline silica exposure; imaging or lung-tissue findings consistent with silicosis; and exclusion of other possible causes of the lung disease.

Chest X-rays may reveal silicosis, although high-resolution CT scans can be more sensitive.

If you worked extensively with artificial stone, do not wait until you are severely short of breath to tell a physician about your silica exposure.

4. How Quickly Can Silicosis Develop?

The answer depends substantially on the amount and intensity of exposure.

NIOSH recognizes different forms of silicosis. Acute silicosis can occur following extremely high exposure and can develop within weeks or months. Accelerated silicosis generally follows high exposure and can develop after approximately 5 to 10 years. Chronic silicosis typically occurs after 10 or more years of lower-level exposure.

This is particularly important for artificial-stone workers because engineered-stone products can contain exceptionally high concentrations of crystalline silica.

California regulators now describe silica exposure from artificial stone as more toxic and dangerous than silica exposure from sources such as natural or sintered stone and warn that uncontrolled artificial-stone fabrication presents a significant and immediate health hazard.

5. Is There a Cure for Silicosis?

No. There is currently no known cure for silicosis.

Once substantial lung scarring has occurred, the damage is irreversible. Treatment therefore focuses on managing the disease, preventing additional exposure and treating complications. Some patients with advanced disease may ultimately require a lung transplant.

Early detection is important because identifying the disease may allow a worker to avoid additional silica exposure and potentially limit further progression.

Medical Disclaimer

This article is provided for general educational and informational purposes and is not medical advice. Silicosis and other respiratory diseases require evaluation by qualified healthcare professionals. Anyone experiencing significant breathing difficulty should seek appropriate medical attention. Workers concerned about occupational silica exposure should discuss their complete work and exposure history with a qualified physician, pulmonologist, or occupational-medicine specialist.

6. Why Is Artificial or Engineered Stone Particularly Dangerous?

Crystalline silica occurs naturally in materials such as granite and other stone. Artificial or engineered stone, however, can contain extremely high concentrations.

NIOSH reports that some engineered-stone products contain up to approximately 95% crystalline silica. Cutting, grinding, polishing and drilling silica-containing materials can release respirable crystalline silica into the air.

The particles can be extraordinarily small. When inhaled, respirable particles can penetrate deep into the lungs, producing inflammation and scarring and reducing the lungs' ability to take in oxygen.

This is why workers who fabricate countertops may face significant exposure even though they are not working in a mine or quarry.

7. What Should Employers Be Doing to Protect Stone Workers?

Controlling silica requires more than simply giving a worker a dust mask.

The updated 2026 OSHA/NIOSH guidance recommends a hierarchy of protections that includes eliminating or substituting high-silica materials where feasible, engineering controls such as wet methods and ventilation, administrative controls, appropriate respiratory protection, and medical monitoring.

California has adopted specific requirements governing occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica. California's general-industry standard defines an action level of 25 micrograms per cubic meter of air averaged over an eight-hour workday and contains additional requirements applicable to artificial-stone work.

The issue has become so serious that in May 2026 California's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board directed Cal/OSHA to begin an emergency-rulemaking process concerning a proposed prohibition on fabrication and installation of artificial-stone products containing more than 1% crystalline silica. That regulatory process was still underway during summer 2026.

8. I Stopped Working With Artificial Stone. Could I Still Have Silicosis?

Yes.

The absence of current exposure does not eliminate the possibility of silica-related disease. The latency period depends upon the duration and intensity of exposure, and some forms of silicosis do not become apparent until years after exposure began.

Former stone workers should therefore tell their physicians about their past occupational exposure, even if they have left the countertop or stone-fabrication industry.

YOU HAVE RIGHTS — PROTECT YOUR FAMILY

9. What Legal Rights May a Worker With Silicosis Have?

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with silicosis after working with artificial or engineered stone, there may be several different legal issues to investigate.

Depending upon the facts and applicable law, potential compensation may include damages associated with:

• Medical expenses and future medical care;
• Lost earnings;
• Loss of future earning capacity;
• Pain and suffering; and
• Other legally recoverable losses.

The available damages depend upon who is legally responsible and what type of claim is being pursued. Workers' compensation benefits, for example, are different from damages potentially recoverable against a legally responsible third party.

10. Can I Sue My Employer?

California workers' compensation is generally an employee's exclusive remedy against an employer for a workplace injury or occupational disease.

California law recognizes limited exceptions. One is the fraudulent-concealment exception under California Labor Code § 3602(b)(2).

That exception may apply when an employer knows of an employee's work-related injury or disease, conceals the existence of the condition and its connection to employment from the employee, and the employee's condition is aggravated as a result of that concealment.

This is a narrow and fact-specific exception. An employer's knowledge that silica is dangerous, standing alone, is not necessarily sufficient to establish the exception.

11. Could I Have Claims Against Companies Other Than My Employer?

Potentially, yes.

Workers' compensation and a claim against a responsible third party are different legal matters. Depending upon the facts, potential third parties could include entities involved in the manufacture, sale, distribution or supply of the artificial-stone products to which the worker was exposed, as well as other entities responsible for relevant workplace or premises conditions.

Manufacturers and Sellers

Depending upon the evidence, potential product-liability claims could involve allegations such as:

Design defect — whether the product's design created legally actionable risks.

Failure to warn — whether adequate warnings and safety instructions concerning silica exposure were provided.

Negligence — whether manufacturers, sellers or other responsible entities exercised reasonable care under the circumstances.

Concealment or misrepresentation — where supported by evidence concerning what a defendant knew, what it represented, and what information it disclosed.

These are potential legal theories—not conclusions that automatically apply to every engineered-stone product or every worker's case.

Distributors and Suppliers

Depending upon their conduct and knowledge, distributors or suppliers may also need to be investigated to determine their role in providing high-silica products to fabrication businesses and what warnings or safety information accompanied those products.

Property Owners and Other Responsible Parties

In appropriate circumstances, property owners, contractors or other entities controlling a worksite may also require investigation, particularly where hazardous dust migrated into other work areas or exposed workers who were not directly cutting the stone.

Whether any particular party is legally responsible depends upon the specific evidence.

12. What Evidence Should a Worker Preserve?

If you have been diagnosed with silicosis or are undergoing medical evaluation for suspected occupational silica disease, identifying your historical exposure can become extremely important.

Whenever possible, preserve or identify:

• Names and addresses of every stone-fabrication employer;
• Dates you worked at each location;
• Photographs of the workplace;
• Names and photographs of stone products you worked with;
• Manufacturer and brand names;
• Slab labels, invoices, receipts or product literature;
• Names of suppliers and distributors;
• Coworkers who remember workplace conditions;
• Photographs or videos showing cutting and fabrication practices;
• Respirators or other protective equipment you were provided;
• Safety instructions and training materials;
• Medical surveillance or workplace testing records; and
• Your medical records concerning respiratory symptoms and diagnosis.

Do not discard product-identification information simply because you no longer work for the company.

In a case involving exposure over many years, determining which products were used, who manufactured or supplied them, where they were fabricated and when the exposures occurred may become critically important.

13. Does Immigration Status Prevent a Worker From Seeking Help?

Workers should not allow concerns about immigration status to prevent them from seeking medical attention or learning about workplace safety rights.

California's Department of Industrial Relations expressly states that California workplace protections apply to workers regardless of immigration status.

The application of immigration issues to a particular civil claim should be evaluated individually by an attorney.

Health and Workplace Resources

Workers concerned about silica exposure can obtain additional information directly from government health and occupational-safety agencies.

CDC/NIOSH — Silica Symptoms and Medical Monitoring

NIOSH — Engineered Stone and Silicosis

Cal/OSHA — Respirable Crystalline Silica Standards and Resources

These government resources provide current information concerning silica exposure, medical monitoring, workplace controls and California occupational-safety requirements.

Diagnosed With Silicosis After Working With Artificial Stone?

If you or a family member worked cutting, grinding, drilling, polishing, fabricating or installing artificial stone and has been diagnosed with silicosis or another serious silica-related lung disease, the circumstances surrounding the exposure should be carefully investigated.

Identifying the manufacturers and brands of the stone, suppliers and distributors, former employers, work locations, dates of exposure, workplace safety practices, medical testing and other potentially responsible parties may be important in determining what legal remedies are available.

The Law Office of Frederick S. Schwartz represents injured individuals in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. A consultation can help determine whether there may be potential claims in addition to workers' compensation and what evidence should be preserved.

Law Office of Frederick S. Schwartz
Telephone: (818) 986-2407

Attorney Advertising. This information is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is different. No recovery or particular result is guaranteed.