“...a new report on 18 cases of illness, including two deaths...”
Out of 330,000,000 Americans.
Time to panic.
Particle masks are readily available - I always wear one when sanding, grinding or sweeping the shop.
I thought Round-Up was going to kill everyone first.
Wear a mask.
Plaintiff lawyers are rejoicing. Expect to see a steady stream of engineered stone worker advertisements from lawyers.
If ever there was a case for robotic manufacturing, this is it.
Dangerous world out there.
I had a media blast cabinet in my garage for years-restore old cars.
It was sealed tight but every time I used it very fine silica was all over the garage. Stuff just finds a way out.
I wore a mask but what about the stuff laying around.
Got rid of the cabinet few years back and pay a local shop who’s operators wear a space suit to do all my blasting.
Not worth the health risk.
Many of Vermont’s early granite sculptors gave their lives to the art that fills America’s cemeteries, public spaces, and buildings. The carving of granite involves the shattering of the crystals that make up the rock, which creates a tremendous amount of silica dust that harms the lungs of the stone workers. Sculptors worked in clouds of dust, leaning in close to their work, breathing in that silica dust for hours a day.
Death caused by silicosis was so widespread at the end of the nineteenth century that Saturday night benefits for the families of granite workers were commonplace. The breakthrough in solving the silicosis problem came in 1937 when $300,000 ($24 million in 2016 funds) worth of ventilation equipment was installed in eighty of Vermont’s granite plants. This funding made dust control practically universal in the industry and essentially eliminated the silicosis problem.
This has been a known problem for a hundred years or more.
I worked in a granite shop, and it was always dusty from cutting sinks. We did wear particle masks but it wasn’t enough to keep out of you nose and such. Polishing was never an issue as we never dry polished. Everything was done with water, except the sink cutting.
Now they have water-jets and CNC saws with water coolants to cut. This really helps trap the dusts particles.
As long as it doesn’t delay me getting my new one..
Silicosis has been around as long as asbestosis. Why do the cutters not have a vacuum attached to the cutting machines? These types of diseases are debilitating, but also avoidable.
Came here to say just that. 1-800-Lawyers are standing buy to, “Fight for you against those malevolent, greedy capitalists who deliberately put your health at risk! Call now to get a HUGE settlement, because we care about you! (and making money off your misery).
“This will be the next Asbestos..................”
Exactly. Ever notice how any article, no matter the source as long as this one, and detailing doom, and gloom is always an agenda article? Always.
I wouldn’t mind seeing those granite countertops banned. Thay are so ugly. I hate seeing black and dark brown and charcoal grey all over a kitchen. Kitchens should be bright, sunshiny places!
Conflict counter tops.
Wear your respirator like you’re supposed to.
“It’s disappointing that OSHA hasn’t done anything...”
That’s the problem: waiting for government workers with C- averages to provide counsel.
Dust everywhere? Duh! Deal with it. I had a summer jobs rolling up insulation. It was pointy, dusty and toxic. Yes, we Americans dealt with it professionally.
I don’t even like marble and granite countertops. I have floaters in my eyes so every speck on a counter is presumed to be an insect unless proven otherwise. Formica is fine with me.