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SANTA MARGHERITA Stone Products Pose Serious Health Risks to Workers

Santa margherita S.P.A., an Italian artificial stone manufacturer known for its SM Quartz and SM Marble products, presents itself as a pioneer in the engineered stone industry with over 50 years of experience. The company boasts about the quality, versatility, and technical advancement of its surfaces, emphasizing their suitability for various applications from commercial spaces to residential kitchens and bathrooms. However, beneath the surface of these marketing claims lies a concerning lack of transparency and responsibility regarding the health risks associated with working with these materials.

The company's promotional materials highlight the resistance of SM Quartz surfaces to flexing, abrasion, acids, and stains, touting them as ideal for high traffic and everyday use. They assure customers of the safety of their products for food industry standards and indoor environments. Yet, this reassuring facade crumbles when examining the company's approach to disclosing the health hazards of working with these materials, particularly the risks of respirable crystalline silica exposure.

Santamargherita's entry into the U.S. market was marked by advertisements and articles emphasizing the beauty, durability, and utility of their engineered stone products. The narrative focused on the aesthetic appeal and practical benefits, sidelining the critical health implications for workers fabricating, installing, or otherwise manipulating these materials.

In 2015, Santamargherita issued a document titled "SM Quartz® Safety Indications for Working," which curiously stated that it was not a 'material safety data sheet' and thus not subject to certain regulatory requirements. This document, while mimicking the format of a safety data sheet, seemingly attempts to circumvent the full disclosure of hazards, particularly those associated with crystalline silica, which is a known carcinogen and the primary cause of silicosis.

The document goes on to describe the composition of their products and asserts that the materials are not readily available due to being trapped within the resin matrix. This claim misleadingly suggests that there is no significant risk of exposure to crystalline silica. However, the reality is that the fabrication processes, such as cutting, grinding, and polishing, invariably release silica dust into the air, posing serious health risks to workers.

While the document acknowledges that dust produced during fabrication contains silica and may cause lung damage through prolonged or repeated exposure, it falls short of providing clear, effective guidance on protective measures. The recommendations for dust suppression and personal protective equipment are vague and insufficient, failing to emphasize the necessity of using air-supplied respirators, the only proven method to prevent silicosis effectively.

Furthermore, the document's toxicological information section provides confusing and contradictory statements about the risk of lung cancer and silicosis, diluting the severity of these health issues and obscuring the direct link between silica exposure and these diseases.
Santamargherita's approach to communicating the risks associated with their products is not just inadequate; it is potentially harmful. By downplaying the dangers of silica exposure and not providing clear, unambiguous safety instructions, the company puts workers at risk of developing life-threatening diseases. The emphasis on the aesthetic and functional benefits of their products, without equal attention to the health implications of their fabrication and installation, reflects a troubling disregard for worker safety.

In summary, while Santamargherita's engineered stone products may offer aesthetic and functional benefits, the company's failure to adequately address and communicate the health risks associated with their use is a significant oversight. It is imperative that Santamargherita takes immediate steps to rectify this, providing clear, comprehensive, and accessible safety information to protect the health and well-being of all who work with their products.