9 Sun Valley businesses hit with fines for not protecting workers from deadly lung disease

Nine stone product businesses in Sun Valley were each hit with $18,785 in fines by California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA.

The agency determined the companies violated rules to protect their workers from the deadly lung disease called silicosis.

Cal/OSHA found the companies were not using adequate methods to suppress dust and did not provide workers with proper air respirators.

The state fines came after a jury in L.A. County earlier this month awarded a $52.4 million judgment to Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez, 34, who sued 34 manufacturers alleging they sold dangerous products.

Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez at his attorney's office in Long Beach. He was diagnosed with silicosis in 2021.

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Leslie Berestein Rojas

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LAist

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What is silicosis?

Rising demand for cheaper, durable synthetic countertops is also leading to a rise in the ancient, incurable lung disease called silicosis. These countertops are composed of crushed quartz bound by a plastic resin.

But inhaling tiny toxic particles when cutting the slabs can be deadly. The particles from the engineered stone, called crystalline silica, get deep into the lungs and cause scarring. The resulting disease, silicosis, is deadly and only curable by a lung transplant.

Cases of silicosis have been rising across California, with 176 cases confirmed and at least 13 deaths. The vast majority of the cases have been in L.A. County, according to Cal/OSHA. All of the victims have been relatively young, Latino men.

LAist and Public Health Watch were first to report on the disturbing trend in 2022. A year later, California issued an emergency rule to increase enforcement to protect workers. That rule was extended for 90 days on August 15.

What businesses had violations?

Here are the nine employers fined by Cal/OSHA:

• Miguel Clavel | Violations: 1 regulatory, 6 general, 2 serious
• Gasper Marble and Tile | Violations: 1 regulatory, 6 general, 2 serious
• Jose Sandoval Marble and Granite | Violations: 1 regulatory, 6 general, 2 serious
• Valley Marble | Violations: 1 regulatory, 6 general, 2 serious
• Edward Ponce | Violations: 1 regulatory, 6 general, 2 serious
• Durango Marble | Violations: 1 regulatory, 6 general, 2 serious
• Nacho Brothers Marble Inc. | Violations: 1 regulatory, 6 general, 2 serious
• M & M Three Marble Inc. | Violations: 1 regulatory, 6 general, 2 serious
• LB Quality Stone Experts Inc. | Violations: 1 regulatory, 6 general, 2 serious

According to Cal/OSHA, a serious violation is one "where there is a realistic possibility that death or serious physical harm could result from the actual hazard created by the condition alleged in the complaint."

How to protect yourself

If you are a stone cutter or otherwise work with with glass, ceramic, brick, and artificial stone products and are concerned about your protections and rights around silica exposure, you can submit a confidential report to Cal/OSHA online or call 833-579-0927. The website is also available in Spanish.

Cal/OSHA also has a website in English and Spanish that is specifically about working with silica dust.

Employers who have questions about silicosis regulations can call Cal/OSHA’s Consultation Services Branch at 800-963-9424.

Go deeper

• Ancient lung disease strikes countertop cutters in LA
• California issues emergency rule to address silicosis epidemic