Today's Video Headlines: 12/10/25
While quartz countertops are all the rage in kitchen design, they could come at a cost to the workers installing them. The state confirmed the first case of silicosis in a Massachusetts employee of the stone countertop fabrication industry.
Historically associated with mining and construction, the disease has become more prevalent among stone fabricators working with engineered stone, which containsThe real horrors of the 'scromiting' weed disorder plaguing ERs — from dramatic weight loss to 'nonstop puking'Is this the 'Ozempic of alcohol'? Drug already on the market can reduce drinking — and it's less than $2 a pill Silicosis is caused by inhaling crystalline silica dust, which is generated by cutting, polishing or grinding stones, especially high-silica engineered quartz. Symptoms can include an irritating cough, mucus, shortness of breath, trouble breathing, fatigue, chest pain and leg swelling. While there are treatments to manage symptoms, there’s no cure for silicosis. The disease can worsen as it progresses, potentially leading to lung cancer, tuberculosis and even death.The Massachusetts resident had worked for stone countertop fabrication and installation companies for 14 years, the state said. He’s a Hispanic man in his 40s.Dr_Microbe – stock.adobe.com Rather, public health officials and researchers are asking for stricter regulations and safety precautions. “The confirmation of this case in Massachusetts is a tragic reminder that silicosis is not just a distant threat — it is here, and it is seriously impacting the health of workers in Massachusetts,” Emily H. Sparer-Fine, director of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Occupational Health Surveillance Program, said in a statement.“Beyond the critical role employers play, everyone involved in the supply chain can help reduce the danger by opting for materials that contain less silica and pose fewer health hazards,” she added. Precautions such as proper ventilation and a medical surveillance program for workers have been floated as possible solutions.. “If we don’t stop it now, we’re going to have hundreds, if not thousands, of more cases. Even if we stopped it now, we’re going to be seeing these cases for the next decade because takes years to develop.” These standards require employee exposures to be below the permissible limit of 50 micrograms of respirable crystalline silica per cubic meter of air over an eight-hour workday. In 2019 and 2020, however, California safety officials found that about 72% of the 808 fabrication shops operating in the state were “likely out of compliance with the existing silica standard,” putting hundreds of workers at risk of silicosis, Meet the winter wellness supplement getting people through December Is this wellness trend the secret to surviving your office holiday party — and going to work without a hangover the next day?Disturbing photos show moment comedian Andy Dick suffered apparent overdose on LA street Ilhan Omar blasted over resurfaced comments on Somali influence in the US as Elon Musk suggests she committed treasonHow ‘Below Deck’ star Fraser Olender is doing after vaping-induced heart attackWhile quartz countertops are all the rage in kitchen design, they could come at a cost to the workers installing them.
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