The Emerging Liability of Quartz Manufacturers & Suppliers for Failure to Warn About Silicosis

Across the United States, the artificial stone countertop industry is facing a growing wave of litigation as fabricators and installers develop accelerated silicosis and silica-related lung disease due to its high content of ultrafine and nano-sized crystalline silica (over 90%).

Manufacturers and suppliers of high-silica artificial stone knew that cutting, grinding, and polishing their products generated dangerous levels of respirable crystalline silica, far exceeding OSHA’s Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL). However, they failed to provide clear, adequate, and actionable warnings to the workers most at risk.

Despite this, product labeling and marketing historically included generic handling instructions but no explicit warnings about accelerated silicosis, progressive lung fibrosis, or fatal outcomes.

Manufacturers benefited financially from the rapid expansion of the artificial stone industry while externalizing the health risks onto fabricators and installers.

The manufacturers knew the composition of their product and thus knew the risk.

The legal cases emerging today are not surprising. The artificial-stone manufacturers and suppliers failed to deliver the most fundamental duty in product safety.

These cases require specialized expertise from the Alpha Consulting Group to help win cases.