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TRANSCRIPT
00:22
Hi, I’m K. Schipper with the latest in hard surfaces industry news from Radio Stone Update.
00:33
California lawmakers are taking another swing at toughening state laws regarding stone fabrication leading to silicosis. Although a measure in last year’s legislative session was withdrawn by the sponsor after regulators expressed reluctance to enforce it, there’s a new effort in 2025.
Senate Bill 20, entitled the Silicosis Training, Outreach and Prevention or STOP Act, was introduced by Sen. Caroline Menjivar, whose district includes the San Fernando Valley which appears to be the epicenter of cases in the state.
The act would:
*Adopt a training program on best practices related to fabrication;
*Develop a certification process for fabrication shops that reinforces Cal/OSHA safety standards;
*Begins issuing three-year certificates to fabrication shops that meet California Department of Public Health certification requirements;
*Create and maintain a public database and tracking system that displays information related to fabrication shops’ compliance with Cal/OSHA standards and their certification status, and;
* Prohibit the distribution of natural- or manufactured-stone slabs for fabrication to non-certified businesses.
SB 20 builds on recommendations from the Los Angeles and California departments of public health and Cal/OSHA, as well as community organizations. Menjiver said the severity of the issue requires strong legislative action.
03:30
Meanwhile, California’sOccupational Safety and Health Standards Board voted last month to make permanent the emergency regulations to protect workers from respirable crystalline silica. The regulations were first approved on a temporary basis at the end of 2023.
The now-permanent regulations are aimed particularly at those who work with man-made stone, or quartz. The regulations highlight the need to protect workers who fabricate countertops and similar products made from materials containing more than 10% crystalline silica.
Since 2019, more than 230 workers in California have been treated for silicosis. According to the state department of health, 14 of them have died from the disease.
Over the past 12 months, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health – Cal/OSHA – conducted 85 inspections related to silica exposure. The results of those inspections included 26% of the shops receiving Orders Prohibiting Use, which temporarily shut down equipment or processes that pose immediate safety risks until the issues are fixed. Additionally, citations were issued in 95% of the closed inspections.
The Standards Board also voted for the creation of an advisory committee to explore additional measures to protect workers from silica dust. The state’s Office of Administrative Law has 30 working days to review and approve or deny the proposal.
04:48
In a related story, a research study by the Radiological Society of North America links countertop workers and silicosis – no surprise there – but says more vigilance in early diagnosis is needed. The study was presented at the RSNA’s annual conference in Chicago in late November.
“This is a new and emerging epidemic, and we must increase awareness of this disease process so we can avoid delays in diagnosis and treatment for our patients,” said Sundus Lateef, M.D., a diagnostic radiological resident at UCLA, and the study’s lead author.
For the study, Dr. Lateef and hercolleagues examined the images of individuals at a large urban hospital outside Los Angeles with few historic cases of the disease. The group included 55 engineered-stone fabricators diagnosed with silicosis using available CT and pulmonary function tests.
A preliminary analysis of 21 workers, all Hispanic males with median exposure of 18 years, showed all were symptomatic and commonly had atypical and advanced features of silicosis.
Of the 21 cases studied, only four cases were recognized initially by the primary clinicians as silicosis, and only seven were recognized by the radiologists. Nearly half the patients had atypical imaging features.
“Silicosis may present with atypical features that may catch radiologists off guard in regions where silicosis is not traditionally diagnosed, which can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment,” Dr. Lateef said.
The study pointed to the need for more awareness and better recognition of imaging features associated with silicosis.
06:39
More than 3,500 industry professionals attended the first-ever stone show in Southeast Asia last month. ASEAN Stone 2024 partnered with ASEAN Ceramics for the three-day event in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Buyers from 40 countries attended the show held at the Saigon Exhibition and Conference Center. The addition of stone helped generate a 65% increase in attendance from the previous show held in Hanoi in November of 2023.
The show featured country pavilions from Italy, Germany, China, India, Thailand and Vietnam. Along with companies from those countries, international vendors also came from Australia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Egypt, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom. The event also included a conference program with more than 30 sessions and panel discussions.
Plans for ASEAN Ceramics 2025 are already in progress for an October event in Bangkok, Thailand. ASEAN Stone will return on an as-yet-to-be-determined date in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2026.
07:55
The Natural Stone Foundation finished up 2024 with a grant to the Natural Stone Institute – NSI – to help offset ongoing costs for the ISO Technical Committee 327’s efforts to create a uniform set of standards for natural stone for ISO members in more than 150 countries.
The committee currently has 13 global participating members – Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, the Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Another 10 national standards bodies are observing.
NSI is working alongside ANSI, the official secretariat of the initiative. TC 327 is nearing completion of its first set of standards involving stone testing and terminology. The standards will bring clarity to what governing documents and standards should be used when natural stone is utilized in a project involving multiple countries – for example, quarried in one country, fabricated in a second, and installed in a third.
Kevin Camarata, president of the Natural Stone Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Natural Stone Institute, says the ISO initiative is a multi-year effort that will ultimately benefit all participants by creating a globally uniform set of standards, nomenclature, and terms of business.
The initiative is one of several funded by the foundation. The foundation also provided funding for NSI’s Silica & Slab Safety Certificate, which provides training resources for employees in the industry, and has been available since late 2023. A Spanish-language version of the certificate is set to be released early this year.
In other industry news….
09:48
The National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), owners of the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show KBIS announced its 2025 board of directors.
Leading the organization is Eduardo Cosentino, EVP Cosentino Group and CEO Cosentino Americas. Cosentino is one of the youngest board chairs to be elected in the history of NKBA. He succeeds Ken Williams, president of Caesarstone Canada, who will stay on as a 2025 NKBA board member.
Cosentino said he was truly honored to serve as the new chairman of the board for NKBA. “The kitchen and bath industry is at the forefront of innovation and design, and I look forward to working alongside such a talented group of leaders to drive the association and the industry forward.”
Kerrie Kelly, CEO and creative director, Kerrie Kelly Studio, has been elected vice president, and returning board member Ken Roberts, president of Atlas Roofing Corp., will assume the position of board secretary-treasurer.
10:55
Coldspring announces the addition of Joe Bahen as its new chief financial officer (CFO). Bahen will oversee Coldspring’s financial operations, focusing on strategic financial planning, risk management and operational efficiency.
Bahen joins Coldspring from St. Cloud, Minn.-based Falcon National Bank where he also served as CFO. While there, he led financial operations, balanced risk sheet management and all internal and external reporting requirements.
Said Bahen, “With Coldspring’s strong reputation for innovation and quality, I am eager to help lead the company in driving strategic financial advisor initiatives, optimizing operational efficiencies and supporting sustainable growth.”
Coldspring has been family-owned and -operated since 1898. The company employs 800 people at operations across the country, including 30 quarries and multiple fabrication facilities.
11:57
The Natural Stone Institute (NSI) and the International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA) now offer a literature review to summarize the growing number of studies related to respirable crystalline silica – RCS — exposure.
Compiled by Yale Occupational and Environmental Medicine, the study covers 34 publications and documents focused primarily on materials and work safety methods specific to RCS exposure from the fabrication of natural and engineered stone countertops.
The anticipated result of this review is to identify the primary causes of risk for RCS exposure and to identify effective controls and work methods to reduce or eliminate future silicosis cases. A major finding of the review is the need for additional and more detailed research into products, control strategies and the need for increased RCS workplace air sampling, and medical evaluations of workers.
A second report analyzing data from a recent air sampling study from NSI and ISFA members was expected to be available before the end of 2024, and additional literature reviews on medical related studies are planned for 2025.
13:16
And the NSI named Crystallo Rare Quartzite as the 2025 Stone of the Year. Sourced from a small, exclusive reserve in Rajasthan, India, by RSG Stones, it stands out for its unique appearance, with a delicate interplay of deep grey veins scattered across a pure white background. Only about 5,000 ft2 of 3cm is produced annually.
13:44
Remember, our electronic newsletter, Slab & Sheet, comes out on alternate Wednesdays. For a transcript of this broadcast, go to www.radiostoneupdate.com. For Radio Stone Update, I’m K. Schipper and we’ll see you here again soon.
