On May 21, 2026, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) voted to initiate an emergency rulemaking process to evaluate whether the fabrication and installation of artificial stone products with greater than one percent crystalline silica should be completely banned in California.

Quick Hits

• The Western Occupational and Environmental Medical Association submitted a petition to OSHSB requesting immediate rulemaking action to ban artificial stone fabrication and installation in California.
• Cal/OSHA adopted a respirable silica standard in January 2025 that strengthened workplace safety protections for workers fabricating and installing artificial stone.
• There will also be advisory committees convened on the issue of an emergency regulation and the health hazards posed.

OSHSB’s vote in support of an emergency rulemaking process came in response to a December 2025 petition from the Western Occupational and Environmental Medical Association, which relies on and refers to the “Australian Model” wherein products are completely banned in that country.

OSHSB adopted a permanent respirable silica standard in the general industry sector—which includes artificial stone fabrication and manufacturing—in January 2025, and the standard took effect one month later. The new emergency standard would also be a general industry safety order that would apply to artificial stone fabrication and manufacturing.

OSHSB will also convene advisory committees on the issue of an emergency regulation and the health hazards posed.

Industry representatives expressed opposition to the petition and suggested enforcement and certification solutions to the hazards.

The emergency rulemaking process is a truncated and expedited process to allow a state agency to adopt emergency regulations in response to a situation that calls for immediate action to avoid serious harm to worker health.

If supported by the evidence and analysis, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) will submit a finding to OSHSB to support expedited rulemaking and an emergency regulatory process.

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