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Committee advances bill to expand silicosis protections for countertop workers
Summary
The Assembly committee passed SB 20, which would tighten training and certification requirements to prevent silicosis among workers who fabricate and cut engineered stone; supporters and industry groups signaled areas for technical amendment.
The Assembly Labor and Employment Committee voted to pass SB 20 by Sen. Menjivar and re-referred the bill to the Appropriations Committee. The bill would expand training, certification and related protections intended to reduce silicosis and other silica-related illnesses among workers who fabricate and cut engineered stone countertops.
Sen. Menjivar described rising cases of silicosis concentrated in Los Angeles-area fabrication shops, noting the disease is incurable and has led to workplace deaths. "We need to make sure that there are training in place to ensure that employers are certified, that they're training their individuals," the author said, describing the bill as a prevention measure.
Supporters included state building and construction trades, labor unions and public-health and safety coalitions. The Silica Safety Coalition — representing stone manufacturers and fabricators — filed a support-and-amend position and identified technical areas under negotiation, including an accessibility database of certified shops and supplemental resources for the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) to implement training and enforcement.
Industry groups and the coalition said they generally supported the bill's goals but requested amendments to ease implementation and ensure adequate DIR resources. Committee members endorsed moving the bill forward; the measure now advances to Appropriations for fiscal review.
