Episode 8: When Good People are Tricked by Bad Companies

Episode 8 - When Good People Are Tricked by Bad Companies

In this episode of From Dust to Verdict, host James Nevin, a partner at Brayton Purcell LLP, delves into the alarming rise of accelerated silicosis among artificial stone countertop fabrication workers. Episode 8, titled "When Good People Are Tricked by Bad Companies," focuses on California Senate Bill 20 (Menjivar) – “Occupational Safety: High-Exposure Trigger Tasks on Artificial Stone,” which was signed into law in October 2025.

The episode begins with an overview of the epidemic, highlighting that over 95% of artificial engineered stone slabs are imported from countries like China, India, and Brazil, and then fabricated in local shops in the U.S. Despite decades of using natural stone without any reported cases of silicosis, the introduction of artificial stone has led to a rapid and increasing incident rate in accelerated silicosis cases among countertop fabrication workers. The California Department of Public Health's Engineered Stone Silicosis Dashboard shows a rise from 13 cases in 2019 to 431 cases today.

Senator Caroline Menjivar, representing district 20, introduced SB 20 to protect workers, but the bill was altered by foreign slab manufacturer lobbyists. The law now inadvertently harms workers by criminalizing necessary dry fabrication, lacking enforcement by Cal-OSHA, imposing unrealistic burdens on small businesses, and excluding input from health experts. The episode argues that the only effective solution is to ban the manufacturing and sale of crystalline silica artificial stone slabs, as demonstrated by Australia's successful ban.