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Esteban González Burchard, M.D., M.P.H.
Related Pages
Supplemental Public Comment Regarding Cal/OSHA’s October 22, 2026 Discussion Draft
Re: Supplemental Public Comment Regarding October 22, 2026 Discussion Draft Proposed Sections 5204.1, 5204, and 1532.3 Submitted to the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) on October 24, 2026. Dear Research and Standards Branch: I submitted comments on September 19, 2026, regarding the proposed emergency regulation addressing artificial […]
Hidden in Plain Sight: The Legacy Hazard of Artificial Stone in the Built Environment
A Hazard in an Ordinary Neighborhood In August 2026, a California study published in NEJM Evidence documented 592 cases of silicosis among workers fabricating engineered-stone countertops. The following month, Cal/OSHA released a proposal to reduce silica exposure from artificial stone. Consequently, I began paying closer attention to residential construction and […]
Artificial Stone Silicosis: The Hazard May Already Be in Our Homes
Silicosis is one of the oldest recognized occupational lung diseases. Artificial stone has created a new form of the problem. Artificial stone, also called engineered stone or quartz, became widely used for kitchen and bathroom countertops beginning in the 1980s. Many traditional products contain very high levels of crystalline silica. […]