Senator Menjivar Fights to STOP Silicosis Cases Among California Workers with SB 20

SACRAMENTO - Today, Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley) has taken on the battle to protect California’s workers in the stone cutting and fabrication industry from the injurious, and potentially fatal, effects of workplace exposure to silica dust with Senate Bill 20 - Silicosis Training, Outreach, and Prevention (STOP) Act.

A 2023 report by the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health (LACDPH) found that the San Fernando Valley, which is almost entirely represented by Senator Menjivar, is “ground zero for silicosis cases.” Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, in the Senator’s district, has treated over 50 patients for silicosis. 

“The people of Burbank, City of San Fernando, and San Fernando Valley demand a STOP to this fully preventable disease afflicting their fathers, husbands, sons, and neighbors. Shameful industry practices neglect to protect workers or even educate them on safety standards, exploit those who cannot afford to leave their jobs, and callously puts undue strain on our local community health clinics and hospitals," states Senator Caroline Menjivar. “By adopting the common sense standards and precautions outlined in SB 20, California can once again lead the nation on worker safety by establishing robust protections for stone cutting and fabrication workers in my district and across our state.”

Between July and December of 2023, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Occupational Health Branch (OHB) reported a 92% increase in silicosis cases statewide, including 10 related deaths. The 2024 LACDPH report highlighted the increasing severity of the public health crisis by citing OHB findings that, as of August 21, there are:

• 176 silicosis cases in California, 105 in LA County.
• 13 known silicosis related deaths statewide.
• 19 stone cutting and fabrication workers who have received lung transplants.

SB 20 - STOP Act will confront this workplace hazard head-on by requiring CDPH to:

• Adopt a training program on best practices related to fabrication activities.
• Develop a certification process for fabrication shops which reinforces California Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (Cal/OSHA) safety standards and requires all workers to undergo CDPH’s training program.
• Begin issuing three-year certificates to fabrication shops that meet CDPH’s certification criteria.
• Create and maintain a public database and tracking system that displays information related to fabrication shops’ compliance with Cal/OSHA safety standards and their certification status.

SB 20 builds on recommendations from LACDPH, CDPH, Cal/OSHA, and the community organizations in Los Angeles who are performing outreach to workers, promoting safety education, and observing firsthand the unsafe working conditions in stone cutting and fabrication shops. 

Cal/OSHA will soon approve converting their current emergency temporary standards into permanent standards. However, the severity and catastrophic effects of the issue necessitate stronger and decisive legislative action. 

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