Cambria, the largest engineered-stone slab manufacturer in the country, recorded silica dust at or above the federal Action Level in 57 of roughly 170 air-monitoring tests between 2018 and 2026, according to records obtained by InvestigateTV and surfaced in litigation. Eight samples exceeded OSHA’s legal Permissible Exposure Limit, including one 2020 Ohio reading more than five times the limit. The records conflict with January congressional testimony from Cambria’s chief legal officer, who told lawmakers the company keeps exposures below the Action Level, which is half the legal limit.
The concern is silicosis, an incurable lung disease caused by breathing respirable crystalline silica. Engineered stone contains 90 percent or more crystalline silica, far more than granite or marble, and cutting it releases fine dust that workers breathe. California has confirmed 668 silicosis cases and 35 related deaths among countertop workers since 2019, and the state has taken first steps toward banning engineered stone, which Australia banned in 2024. Former OSHA assistant secretary David Michaels said the documents suggest Cambria has not been successful in following its stated safety premise.
Cambria maintains that following OSHA regulations and controlling silica exposure protects workers. For Suncoast homeowners planning a remodel, the practical takeaway is to ask fabricators about water suppression, ventilation, and dust controls, and to take the risk seriously for the people doing the cutting. Should states like Florida follow California’s lead on engineered stone? Let us know on our Facebook page.
