Episode 10: Urge Cal-OSHA to adopt WOEMA petition and Congress to Reject HR 5437 скачать в хорошем качестве

Episode 10: Urge Cal-OSHA to adopt WOEMA petition and Congress to Reject HR 5437

Podcast: From Dust to Verdict Host: James Nevin, Partner at Brayton Purcell LLP In this urgent episode, host James Nevin examines two critical issues shaping the future of worker safety and corporate accountability: the WOEMA petition to ban artificial stone slabs containing more than 1% crystalline silica in California, and the controversial federal bill HR 5437. Nevin explains why WOEMA—a coalition of over 600 occupational medicine physicians across seven western states—has petitioned Cal-OSHA to prohibit artificial stone containing over 1% crystalline silica. Backed by over 100 peer-reviewed studies and California’s Engineered Stone Silicosis Dashboard, WOEMA warns that artificial stone’s unique composition of nano-sized crystalline silica, VOCs, and toxic metals makes safe fabrication impossible, even with advanced engineering controls. The data is staggering: 481 confirmed cases of silicosis and dozens of deaths in California alone, with workers as young as 24. But the episode also exposes HR 5437, a proposed federal law that would grant foreign artificial stone manufacturers immunity from civil product liability lawsuits. Nevin details how this “foreign manufacturer bailout” would strip U.S. fabrication workers and their families of the only legal avenue for compensation, while allowing companies profiting from toxic slabs to continue dumping hazardous products into the U.S. market unchecked. Listeners will learn: • Why WOEMA is calling for urgent revision of 8 CCR § 5204 to ban artificial stone slabs. • How HR 5437 threatens workers’ rights, public health, and accountability. • Evidence proving that artificial stone cannot be fabricated safely under any conditions. • Why Australia’s nationwide ban offers a proven model for California and beyond. • Safer alternatives—such as recycled glass and natural stone—that match artificial stone in quality and cost without endangering lives. Through this episode, Nevin underscores a critical truth: banning crystalline silica artificial stone slabs and rejecting HR 5437 are essential steps to prevent further cases of fatal silicosis among countertop fabrication workers. Listen to “Urge Cal-OSHA to Adopt the WOEMA Petition and Reject HR 5437” to understand the life-or-death stakes of this debate and what it means for the future of the countertop industry. (For Spanish-speaking listeners, a Spanish-language version of this podcast is available: Del polvo al veredicto, hosted by Brayton Purcell LLP attorney Charley Velasco Ariza.)