Science Feedback
Questions to Answer
That intro is the exact approved instruction immediately before the questions.
Section A
Can Exposure be Controlled?
01
Is there evidence that engineered stone cannot be fabricated below the Cal/OSHA PEL (50 µg/m³) and action level (25 µg/m³) when wet methods, local exhaust, and required housekeeping are used? Please cite.
02
What personal and area air-monitoring data exist for shops using full wet methods on all tools (saw, CNC, waterjet, hand grinding, edging, polishing)?
03
How effective are PAPRs with an assigned protection factor of 1,000 in real-world fabrication conditions, including fit, maintenance, and wear time?
04
Which specific tasks (e.g., hand edging, dry touch-up, installation cutouts, cleanup) produce the highest exposures even when controls are used?
05
What is the evidence on recycled water and slurry as a secondary exposure source?
Section b
What Does the Case Data Tell Us?
01
Among confirmed engineered stone silicosis cases, what is known about the compliance status of the employer (wet methods, respirators, monitoring, medical surveillance) at the time of exposure?
02
Are there documented cases from shops verified to be in full compliance with section 5204 controls?
03
What share of cases involve employers without workers’ compensation coverage, very small shops, or informal work arrangements?
04
What are the typical exposure durations and latency periods for accelerated silicosis in this population?
Section c
What About the Material Itself?
01
What is the scientific basis for a 1% crystalline silica threshold? What does evidence show for materials between 1% and 40%?
02
Do resins, pigments, metals, or other constituents of engineered stone contribute to toxicity independent of silica content?
03
How do freshly fractured particles from engineered stone compare with those from high-silica natural stone (e.g., quartzite), porcelain, and sintered stone?
04
What testing and certification standards should exist for crystalline silica content and dust generation of slab products?
Section D
What Would Change the Answer?
01
What evidence would demonstrate that fabrication can — or cannot — be done safely?
02
What data should a six-month audit pilot collect to be scientifically useful to the Advisory Committee?
03
What medical surveillance approach (e.g., HRCT vs. chest X-ray) best detects early disease in this population?