Brayton Purcell LLP Responds to CBS News Investigation on Rapidly Escalating Silicosis Crisis Among Artificial Stone Fabrication Workers
NOVATO, Calif., March 19, 2026 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- Brayton Purcell LLP today responded to new national reporting by CBS News and medical analysis from Dr. Celine Gounder, which highlights a fast‑spreading epidemic of silicosis among workers who fabricate crystalline silica artificial stone countertop slabs. This material contains at least 90% respirable crystalline silica. The remaining ~10% is made up of toxic metals, resins, and glues, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
CBS News reported that young workers across the United States are developing irreversible lung disease after cutting and polishing artificial stone, which releases clouds of nano‑sized particles that embed deeply into the lungs. Dr. Gounder noted that workers in their 30s and 40s are now presenting with end‑stage lung disease previously associated with decades‑long mining exposure.
"This is very different from the kind of silicosis we were used to seeing in people who had worked in mines for decades," Dr. Gounder said during the CBS News segment. "We are seeing young people… in their thirties and forties… many of them requiring lung transplants."
A Disease Once Associated with Mining Is Now Striking Workers Decades Earlier
In the CBS News coverage, César Manuel González, 37, described years of cutting artificial stone in a fabrication shop where dust gathered on his clothes, hair, and workspace. Like many countertop fabricators, González began working with artificial stone after the 2008–09 recession increased demand for lower‑cost quartz countertops.
The dust he inhaled permanently scarred his lungs, and his breathlessness progressed into advanced silicosis requiring a lung transplant. Although a transplant may extend life, it requires life‑long anti‑rejection medications, regular monitoring, vulnerability to infection, and the knowledge that transplanted lungs may last only an average of eight years.
Surge in Cases Nationwide as California Leads with Surveillance
CBS News reported that state health officials have documented rapidly increasing rates of artificial‑stone‑associated silicosis. California, which began statewide surveillance in 2019, has identified:
- 529 confirmed cases
- 29 deaths
- Median age at diagnosis: 46
- Median age at death: 49
Physicians treating occupational lung disease throughout the country observed the same pattern: clusters of young workers with unexplained lung scarring that became unmistakable once their fabrication work histories were reviewed.
Workers Describe Dust Exposure Despite Wet Cutting and Respirators
In interviews included in the reporting, workers described substantial dust exposure even when using respirators, wet saws, fans, and open‑door ventilation. While manufacturers argue that artificial stone can be fabricated safely with proper controls, workers and physicians counter that a material composed almost entirely of nano‑sized silica particles creates hazards that are impossible to eliminate completely.
One worker, Gustavo Reyes, 36, who received a lung transplant in 2023, reflected on who he believes bears responsibility. "The industries who created the artificial stone, the product," he said, expressing concern about the inherent dangers of the material itself.
A Growing National Debate Over Accountability and Health Impacts
More than 500 lawsuits have been filed against artificial stone manufacturers alleging failure to warn workers and marketing a product that cannot be fabricated safely. At the same time, lawmakers are considering federal proposals that would shield manufacturers from liability, prompting broad public debate.
Former OSHA administrator Dr. David Michaels compared the manufacture's claims of the product's safety to decades‑old arguments from the tobacco industry:
"This is comparable to the tobacco industry saying cigarettes are safe."
Medical experts interviewed emphasized that crystalline silica artificial stone's extreme silica content distinguishes it from natural stone materials. Cutting, sanding, and grinding artificial stone effectively "weaponize" the silica, according to Dr. Robert Blink, an occupational medicine specialist quoted in the reporting.
Brayton Purcell LLP Statement
James Nevin, a partner at Brayton Purcell LLP and a national authority in litigation involving crystalline silica artificial stone, responded to the CBS News investigation:
"CBS News and Dr. Gounder have brought national attention to a crisis that has harmed far too many working families. The medical evidence is clear: crystalline silica artificial stone slabs are so 'uniquely toxic' that they cannot be safely fabricated into countertops by human beings who breathe. These workers are living with an incurable disease that is entirely preventable by switching the industry to non-toxic alternative slabs."
Nevin continued:
"It is vital that the experiences of affected workers and the consistent findings of medical authorities remain central to this discussion. Their accounts demonstrate the magnitude of the harm caused by crystalline silica artificial stone and the urgency of ensuring broad public awareness."
Brayton Purcell LLP represents workers across the nation who have developed silicosis after working with artificial stone, including hundreds of young fabricators who now face lifelong medical challenges.
About Brayton Purcell LLP
Brayton Purcell LLP is a nationally recognized law firm with decades of experience representing individuals and families affected by toxic exposures, including silicosis caused by fabicating crystalline silica artificial stone. The firm remains committed to ensuring that the voices of affected workers are heard.
Media contact:
Nolan Lowry
[email protected]
415-399-3107
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SOURCE Brayton Purcell LLP
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