Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers Support California Silicosis Bill

Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers, a California-based personal injury law firm, supports SB-20, a recently proposed bill which would protect workers in the stone cutting and fabrication industry from silicosis, a devastating, potentially fatal condition.

The bill would:

• Forbid the use of dangerous “dry methods” of stone countertop fabrication
• Lead to the creation of a training curriculum which covers how to safely engage in fabrication activities
• Lead to the creation of a certification process which reinforces Cal/OSHA safety standards and requires all fabrication workers to go through a training program
• Allow for fabrication shops to obtain 3-year certifications which show they meet criteria set by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
• Prohibit the sale of slab solid surface products to fabricators who lack valid certification
• Lead to the creation of a public database and tracking system which shows information about fabrication shops’ certification status and compliance with Cal/OSHA safety standards

Jeffrey Nadrich, the founding attorney of the firm, explained the importance of the bill.

“Silicosis is a terrible, often fatal disease, and cases of it are only on the rise. This bill is necessary to protect California’s stone fabrication workers from this truly awful disease,” Nadrich said.

The CDPH, between July 2023 and December 2023, reported a 92 percent increase in cases of silicosis in California, including 10 deaths. This resulted in OSHA proposing an emergency silicosis regulation on December 14, 2023.

Silicosis is a lung condition with no cure which is often deadly. Its only known cause is inhalation of silica dust.

Stone fabrication workers are at high risk of developing silicosis, since the process of shaping and cutting countertops can produce high levels of silica dust. Workers who work with artificial stone are at particularly high risk, as artificial stone produces more silica dust when it is cut and shaped. To reduce silica dust exposure in the workplace, legal protections are necessary.

About Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers

Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers is a California personal injury law firm with 17 offices throughout California. Their legal team represents individuals in cases involving exposure to hazardous substances such as silica dust, asbestos, paraquat and Roundup. The firm has over three decades of experience representing clients and has recovered in excess of $750 million for clients.