The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board voted unanimously May 21 to begin rulemaking that could prohibit the fabrication and installation of engineered stone containing more than 1% crystalline silica, though the action falls short of an immediate ban and faces a months-long process before any prohibition takes effect.
The International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA) presented a shop licensing and certification program to California workplace safety regulators, positioning the industry-led proposal as a practical alternative to a physician-backed petition calling for an outright ban on engineered stone fabrication in the state.
Neolith's new sintered stone offerings broaden the aesthetic possibilities of its collection and bring fresh alternatives to contemporary architecture and interior design.
The legislation, authored by State Senator Caroline Menjivar, D-San Fernando Valley, is a direct response to what public health officials have called an epidemic of accelerated silicosis among engineered stone countertop workers in California.
California's Silicosis Training, Outreach and Prevention (STOP) Act, the most aggressive state-level regulation targeting silica exposure in the stone countertop fabrication industry, took full effect on January 1, 2026, after Governor Gavin Newsom signed it into law on October 13, 2025.
While quartz color and pattern often guide initial decision making and influence slab size for pattern consistency, slab thickness is equally critical to how quartz is fabricated, how it performs and how it visually impacts a space.