Posts by WOEMA
California May Ban Artificial-Stone Countertops
California is considering prohibiting the fabrication and installation of artificial-stone countertops — effectively banning the products — in response to an epidemic of the fatal lung disease silicosis among workers who cut, grind and polish countertop slabs before they are fitted into homes and businesses…
Read More‘Nobody told us it was dangerous’: Quartz countertop boom linked to incurable lung disease among Bay Area workers
‘Nobody told us it was dangerous’: Quartz countertop boom linked to incurable lung disease among Bay Area workers Ethan Baron San Jose Mercury News PUBLISHED: March 16, 2026 at 4:05…
Read MoreCBS News: Disease once linked to mining hits workers in countertops industry
Disease once linked to mining hits workers in countertops industry March 12, 2026 / 5:00 AM EDT / KFF Health News Add CBS News on Google César Manuel González,…
Read MoreSupport the WOEMA Petition To Prohibit the Use of Engineered Stone Containing Crystalline Silica
Dear colleagues:
We ask for your support for the recent WOEMA petition to prohibit all fabrication and installation tasks on engineered stone that contains more than 1% crystalline silica….
Read MoreSome engineered stone countertop workers facing deadly lung disease from silica exposure
Thousands of workers in the engineered stone industry are falling ill due to silicosis. What doctors are saying needs to happen. Read the story…
Read MoreNPR: Kitchen Countertop Workers Are Dying. Some Lawmakers Want to Ban Their Lawsuits
An epidemic of a deadly lung disease among hundreds of workers who cut kitchen and bathroom countertops has regulators on opposite sides of the country considering two drastically different responses this week. Read and listen to the podcast…
Read MoreWOEMA Submits Petition to Revise 8 CCR § 5204 (Occupational Exposures to Respirable Crystalline Silica)
On December 12, 2025 WOEMA formally submitted a petition to the Cal/OSHA Standards Board to revise 8 CCR § 5204 (Occupational Exposures to Respirable Crystalline Silica) to prohibit all fabrication and installation tasks on engineered stone that contains more than 1% crystalline silica. This action reflects WOEMA’s ongoing commitment to worker health and the prevention of serious occupational disease.
Read MoreWOEMA Recognizes National Disability Employment Awareness Month
WOEMA Recognizes National Disability Employment Awareness Month Dear WOEMA Members and Colleagues, In October 2025, we celebrate the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)—an annual recognition of…
Read More27-18 – Occupational Dermatology Evaluation
27-18 – Occupational DermatologyPlease enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.27-18 – Occupational Dermatology Speakers: Stephanie Zone, MD Nicole…
Read MoreBREAKING NEWS! Occupational Health MDs Call for Immediate Action to Save NIOSH
The recent decision to terminate a majority of the workforce at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), by June 2025, is a dangerous and shortsighted move that…
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