Exposure to silica dust is part of the job on many residential and commercial construction sites, where engineered stone has quickly become the building material of choice for countertops. But that same dust is driving a growing number of silicosis cases, a serious lung disease with no cure.
The American Lung Association estimates that about 2.3 million workers in the U.S. are exposed to silica. In recent years, researchers and health officials have linked the dramatic increase in silicosis cases to engineered stone products such as fabricated quartz countertops, which create more silica dust than natural stone when cut, polished and handled.
As cases increase, attention is shifting to why this exposure keeps happening and how countertop manufacturers can prevent it. Understanding what causes silicosis is a key part of that conversation.
We can help.
What Is Silicosis?
Silica dust consists of tiny particles released when materials like stone or concrete are cut or disturbed. Once it’s in the air, it’s easy to breathe in without realizing it. And once it’s in the lungs, it stays there. Over time, the embedded particles cause scarring and inflammation, leading to serious breathing problems and irreversible lung damage.
What surprises many people is how quickly it can happen. Workers exposed to high levels of silica from fabricated countertops can develop silicosis in as little as five to ten years, sometimes less. That’s very different from diseases like mesothelioma, which usually take decades to show up.
Doctors, including those at the Cleveland Clinic, generally describe three types of silicosis:
- Chronic Silicosis (long-term exposure)
- Accelerated Silicosis (shorter, heavier exposure)
- Acute Silicosis (intense exposure over a very short time)
What Causes Silicosis on Construction Sites?
Engineered stone creates especially high levels of airborne silica when it’s cut, shaped or polished. The dust doesn’t settle right away. It lingers in the air, and workers breathe it in. Once that dust is in the lungs, it builds up over time and causes damage.
Early Signs of Silicosis
Early silicosis symptoms don’t always stand out. At first, it may just feel like a lingering cough or getting winded more easily.
What Does Silicosis Feel Like? These symptoms of silicosis can be easy to overlook. By the time they become obvious, the disease has often already progressed. Common symptoms include:
- Persistent cough
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
That’s why early detection matters. Just like lung cancer, catching silicosis symptoms sooner can help slow things down and improve long-term outcomes.
Many workers exposed to silica dust die from serious breathing complications before they are formally diagnosed with silicosis. That’s because silicosis was an extremely rare disease before the popularity of artificial stone countertops, so many doctors are not familiar with the silicosis symptoms and medical imaging results. As a result, victims are often misdiagnosed. In addition, a significant percentage of construction workers who cut and install countertops are immigrants from Mexico and Central America without permanent legal status. They are often reluctant to seek medical attention for fear of losing their residency status.
What Manufacturers Can Do About Fabricated Stone Countertop Workers and Silicosis
Silicosis is a preventable disease, and in many cases, prevention starts with the manufacturers of these dangerous products.Those responsibilities include:
- Making sure the public is aware of the dangers of silica dust exposure
- Educating construction workers and employers about how to control dust and lmit exposure
When fabricated countertop manufacturers don’t follow these requirements, they expose workers to risks that should never exist in the first place.
Legal Claims, Silica Exposure Lawsuits and Accountability
As more workers are diagnosed, legal claims, including silica dust lawsuits, continue to grow.
The issue isn’t just exposure, but whether it could have been prevented.
Experienced silicosis attorneys focus on uncovering what manufacturers about the health risks of silica dust exposure and whether they took steps to protect workers.
Understanding how silicosis is diagnosed and related symptoms after breathing silica dust at work are just starting points. The bigger question is whether it had to happen at all, and if not, who should be held accountable.
