For those of us who sell stone, we know it's a big deal to safely handle and store materials, because the products we work with every day are heavy and dangerous. That’s why the safety of workers and visitors should always be the top priority.

Even if a business has an established safety plan, rules and procedures must be followed for them to be effective.

Safety should always be at the forefront when moving slabs around a warehouse, fabrication shop or on the jobsite. Whether transporting the large, heavy pieces of stone or quartz manually or with a forklift or crane, following safety procedures is a must.

Some states are starting to unlock the doors for commerce and people will start getting back to work. Assembling the work teams back together attempting to achieve shared common objectives will not just happen by chance.

Safety should always be at the forefront – whether in the fabrication shop or on the jobsite. Manufacturers continue to develop products that not only make handling slabs and other large stone pieces safer, but also help to increase production and installation efficiency.

In the past two years, Australia had its first reported fatality from silicosis. In response, the Australian government has been advocating for change and protection for fabricators. Silicosis is a form of occupational, non-reversible lung disease caused by inhalation of silica dust over a long period of time. Silica is a highly common, crystal-like mineral found in sand, rock, and quartz. It can have deadly consequences for people who work with stone, tile, concrete, glass, or other forms of rock.