Jeff Courtright, safety coordinator for Planet Granite, discusses safety for employees as well as the biggest issues OSHA finds during an inspection.

The threat of silica exposure is not a new story. However, these reports are a strong reminder that stone companies must be diligent about reducing the risks to workers. The Natural Stone Institute recommends the following.

OSHA and NIOSH have identified exposure to silica as a health hazard to workers involved in finishing and installing natural and manufactured stone countertop products, both in fabrication shops and during in-home finishing/installation.

In this issue of Stone World, we cover safety in the shop — a topic I believe can never be talked about too much. As you all know, the stone industry can be a hazardous business if the proper procedures and policies aren’t put in place to ensure everyone’s safety.

With the hazards of working in the stone industry always a concern and OSHA tightening its rulings on silicosis, fabricators continue to implement procedures and emphasize to their employees the importance of safety in the work place.

The rule establishes two standards, where only one existed previously. OSHA’s Silica Rule will go into effect on June 23, 2016.