State Sen. Caroline Menjivar is following in Congresswoman-elect Luz Rivas’ footsteps to take on the effort to protect California stone fabrication workers from contracting silicosis – a fatal long-term lung disease caused by breathing in silica dust, a mineral found in certain stones, rocks, sand and clay.
On Monday, Dec. 2, Menjivar introduced Senate Bill 20 – Silicosis Training, Outreach, and Prevention (STOP) Act – which aims to protect workers in the stone cutting and fabrication industry from the injurious, and potentially fatal, effects of workplace exposure to silica dust.
During her term as Assemblywoman, Rivas did much to bring awareness to those suffering from silicosis. Last year, however, despite her efforts, Rivas pulled Assembly Bill (AB) 3043, the Silicosis Prevention Act, knowing she wouldn’t get the support to pass it in time due to pushback from administrators.
With Rivas leaving the State Assembly after successfully running for the position of House Representative for the 29th Congressional District, Menjivar is stepping up in the State Senate to lead the battle against silicosis in California.
“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,” said Menjivar.
A 2023 report by the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health (LACDPH) found that the San Fernando Valley is “ground zero for silicosis cases.” Olive View-UCLA Medical Center in Sylmar 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,” said Menjivar “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.”
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.
The 2024 LACDPH report highlighted the increasing severity of the public health crisis by citing OHB findings. As of August 21, there are: 176 silicosis cases in California, 105 of which were reported in LA County; 13 known silicosis-related deaths statewide; and 19 stone-cutting and fabrication workers who have received lung transplants.
The STOP Act proposes requiring CDPH to: adopt a training program on best practices related to fabrication activities; develop a certification process for fabrication shops; begin issuing three-year certificates to fabrication shops that meet CDPH requirements; and create and maintain a public database and tracking system that shows which fabrication shops are in compliance with California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) safety standards and their certification status.
SB 20 builds on recommendations from LACDPH, CDPH, Cal/OSHA, and community organizations in LA that are performing outreach to workers, promoting safety education and observing firsthand the unsafe working conditions in stone cutting and fabrication shops.
“IDEPSCA has conducted outreach and education for about a year across Los Angeles County and we are meeting immigrant fathers, husbands and brothers, who were once young heads of households, slowly die while walking around with oxygen tanks and waiting for lung transplants,” said Maegan Ortiz, Executive Director, IDEPSCA. “We desperately need solutions that look holistically at the impact of silicosis on workers. We cannot let business interests supersede the human impact.”
Cal/OSHA will soon approve converting their current emergency temporary standards into permanent standards. However, Menjivar introduced the legislation because she believes the severity and catastrophic effects of the issue necessitate stronger and more decisive legislative action.
Menjivar said her team is being strategic in pushing forward the legislation to ensure its success, adding that they have been in conversation with Rivas and the stakeholders who were in support of the previous bill.
“It’s not going to die this time,” said Menjivar. “And we’re going to be persistent about it.”