Chicago-based countertop manufacturer Florenza Marble & Granite Corp. is facing over $1 million in penalties for failing to protect its workers from dangerous levels of silica dust. OSHA found that the company had exposed its employees to silica levels up to six times greater than the permissible limits. This exposure has resulted in serious health issues for some workers, including two who are now suffering from incurable lung disease.

The violations were discovered during an inspection by OSHA, which was prompted by the case of a 31-year-old employee who required a double lung transplant due to accelerated silicosis. Silicosis is a lung disease caused by inhaling silica dust, and it can be both debilitating and fatal. In addition to the 31-year-old, OSHA found that the employee’s 59-year-old father and co-worker also required a lung transplant due to silicosis. Another 47-year-old employee has been treated for work-related lung disease for over three years.

OSHA’s inspection revealed that Florenza Marble & Granite had failed to implement adequate safety measures to protect its workers from silica exposure. The company did not have a proper safety program in place, and it had not conducted the necessary air sampling to assess the levels of silica dust in the workplace. OSHA also found that the company had not provided its workers with the required training on the dangers of silica exposure or the proper use of personal protective equipment.

In response to the violations, OSHA has proposed a total of 32 citations against Florenza Marble & Granite, including eight egregious willful violations and 20 serious violations. The company now has 15 business days to either comply with the citations, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings.

OSHA’s Regional Administrator Bill Donovan expressed concern over the company’s lack of action to protect its workers. “Our compliance officers found silica dust levels nearly six times higher than permissible levels and the owner made little or no effort to protect his employees from exposure,” Donovan said. “To make matters worse, Karp was indifferent to his employees’ suffering and refused to accept any responsibility for protecting them, even after two insurance carriers dropped the company for its egregious defiance of workplace safety standards.”

In addition to the health risks posed to workers, OSHA also highlighted the financial implications of the company’s failure to address silica exposure. The agency noted that two of the company’s workers compensation insurance carriers had refused to insure Florenza Marble & Granite due to its lack of safety measures.