Finding of Emergency Section 5204 , Occupational Exposures to Respirable Crystalline Silica Business Meeting : December 14 , 2023 Page 7 of 36
Figure 3 . Yearly Case Counts for 52 Patients with Artificial Stone-Associated Silicosis in California , 2010-2022 . 18
Investigators
determined that these individuals developed silicosis as a result of exposure to RCS in the artificial stone fabrication shops where they worked . 19 In July 2023 , OHB reported that here were no reported cases of silicosis associated with artificial stone prior to 2010 . On July 25 , CDPH issued a Health Advisory to healthcare providers and local health departments , entitled Global Epidemic Comes to California : Silicosis in Countertop Workers . 20
In October 2023 , OHB reported to Cal / OSHA that the total number of silicosis cases had increased 75 %, from the 52 workers reported in July of 2023 , to a total of 91 .
7 ) The silicosis cases occurring in this industry are particularly aggressive and deadly .
The median age of the 52 patients identified by UCLA and CDPH was 45 years at diagnosis ; 51 ( 98 %) were Latino men . Twenty of the patients ( 38 %) presented with advanced disease , characterized by massive pulmonary fibrosis , which caused a severe or very severe reduction in respiratory capacity . Ten of these patients ( 19 %) died by the time investigators had collected and reported their findings . The median age at death was 46 years ( interquartile range [ IQR ] of 38-51 ). The median work tenure was 15 years ( IQR of 10-20 ). In addition , three underwent lung
18
Fazio J , et . al . ( 2023 ), ibid . https :// jamanetwork . com / journals / jamainternalmedicine / article-abstract / 2807615 .
19
Fazio J , et . al . ( 2023 ), ibid . https :// jamanetwork . com / journals / jamainternalmedicine / article-abstract / 2807615 .
20
California Department of Public Health . Health Advisory . Global Epidemic Comes to California : Silicosis in Countertop Workers ( July 25 , 2023 ). https :// www . cdph . ca . gov / Programs / OPA / Pages / CAHAN / Global-Epidemic- Comes-to-California-Silicosis-in-Countertop-Workers . aspx . Accessed November 2 , 2023 .