A Massachusetts man has been diagnosed with a life-altering lung disease linked to popular kitchen countertops. 

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed this week that its first case of silicosis had been diagnosed in a Hispanic man in his 40s who, for the past 14 years, worked for stone countertop fabrication and installation companies. 

What is silicosis? 

Big picture view:

Silicosis is a serious, incurable lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica, which is found naturally in granite and other stones. Silicosis can become progressively disabling and sometimes prove fatal. It almost always results from work-related exposures.

Dig deeper:

Silica dust particles become trapped in lung tissue, causing inflammation and scarring and reducing the lungs’ ability to take in oxygen, according to OSHA. 

Symptoms:

Symptoms of silicosis can include shortness of breath, cough and fatigue. Workers exposed to airborne crystalline silica also are at increased risk for lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and kidney disease. 

What they’re saying:

“Silicosis is a devastating, life-altering disease – and one that is also absolutely preventable,” said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “Massachusetts employers in industries where workers are exposed to silica dust have a responsibility to protect their workforce, including from harmful airborne dust. No worker should have to suffer from a chronic and insidious lung disease or possibly die because of a preventable exposure at work.”

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Countertop disease

Big picture view:

Crystalline silica commonly occurs in nature as the mineral quartz, and is found in granite, sandstone, quartzite, various other rocks and sand. Cutting, grinding, chipping, sanding, drilling and polishing these natural and manufactured stones can release various levels of crystalline silica dust particles that can be inhaled if proper protections aren’t in place.

Dig deeper:

Engineered or manufactured stone, also commonly called quartz, is particularly problematic since it has more crystalline silica than natural stone. 

By the numbers:

For example, the average percent of crystalline silica in engineered stone is at least 90% in quartz and engineered stone, vs. a 10-45% makeup in granite, according to an OSHA hazard alert. 

What you can do:

Certain engineering controls, such as water spraying systems or remote-controlled tools, can be used to mitigate risk, as well as by wearing proper respiratory protection. 

Silica cases in the U.S.

Big picture view:

Most engineered stone workers with silicosis in the U.S. were exposed to silica at their jobs for over ten years, although some were exposed for less time.

The backstory:

The first reported case of silicosis in the U.S. associated with exposure to silica dust from engineered stone was identified in Texas in 2014, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Since then, other states have reported hundreds of cases, and dozens of deaths, particularly in California. 

Dig deeper:

In the U.S., most engineered stone workers with silicosis are relatively young, male, and Hispanic/Latino. This largely reflects the demographic composition of this industry’s workforce.

In 2023, over half of workers in this industry were under 45 years old, nearly three-quarters were men, and more than 1 in 3 were Hispanic/Latino, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Outdoor dining is out, and igloo dining is officially in.

While winter makes it difficult for diners to enjoy meals outside, several restaurants across Massachusetts break out heated igloos to give guests a chance to still have an outdoor dining experience.

Here’s where you can get that experience for yourself.

206 North Spencer Road

Black & White Grille has heated igloos for outdoor dining from now until the spring of 2026. The igloos are available daily for lunch and dinner. The igloos fit up to six people, and dining is limited to an hour and 45 minutes. At least two people are required to reserve an igloo, which also comes with a $30 deposit. Reservations can be made online via OpenTable or by calling the business at 508-885-5018.

2 Mercantile St.

Worcester’s first rooftop bar has heated igloos that offer views of downtown. The igloos fit up to six people and can be reserved for up to two hours. Each one costs $50 per party and is available from 4 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Reservations, which are required, can be made via OpenTable or by calling The Mercantile at 774-389-5180.

2027 Massachusetts Ave.

From November to April, the Inn at Hastings Park in Lexington offers an igloo dining experience called the “INNgloo Wonderland.” The igloos fit up to six people and are available for lunch Monday through Friday, dinner Monday through Saturday, Saturday High Tea from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday Champagne Brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Each INNgloo features a faux fireplace heater, mini speaker and twinkly lights. It costs $120 to rent. Reservations can be made online or by calling the Inn at 781-301-6655.

160 Merrimack St.

Take in views of the Merrimack River from Haverhill’s coastal Italian restaurant, BOSA Coastal Italian. Guests can order from BOSA’s full menu while hanging out in the heated igloos, decorated with LED lights and blankets. The igloos will be open until spring. The igloos fit 6 to 8 people and can be reserved Monday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m., Friday from 4 p.m. to midnight, Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Reservations can be made by calling BOSA at 978-641-3149.

70 Sleeper St.

Boston’s popular rooftop igloos and iceboxes are back at the Rooftop at The Envoy Hotel in Seaport. The igloos, which offer views of Boston’s harbor and skyline, can fit groups of up to six people. The heated igloos also come with blankets for extra warmth. Guests can try one of the rooftop’s seasonal cocktails, such as the Gin-gle Bell Hot Toddy or Winter Garden Spritz, as well. Reservations can be made online for two hours at a time. The phone number is 617-530-1538.

2261 Dorchester Ave.

The Bowery Bar in Dorchester has three heated yurts on its private patio available in the winter. The yurts can be reserved for lunch Monday through Friday, for dinner any day of the week and for brunch on weekends. Depending on the experience, the yurts have a food and beverage minimum of $100, $150 or $200 for a two-hour booking. Reservations can be made online, and any changes should be made by calling The Bowery Bar at 617-698-2261.

973 Providence Highway

Mick Morgan’s in Sharon has eight igloos available during the winter. The restaurant does not take reservations, so all igloos are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The igloos can fit six people and have no time limit. People can call Mick Morgans at 781-806-0066 for more information.

260 W Water St.

The igloos at Riverhouse Weir Village in Taunton have returned for the winter season, along with the restaurants’ popular Igloo Gingerbread Nights. The igloos fit up to eight people and cost $50 to reserve. Reservations must be made by calling the restaurant at 774-501-2003.

75 Ferry St.

For $5 a person, you can reserve an igloo at The Tipsy Toboggan in Fall River. The restaurant offers igloos for 5 to 8 people and an igloo cabin with tables for up to 4 people. The winter garden can be booked for brunch, lunch or dinner. Reservations last up to two hours and can be made online. The phone number is 508-567-0550.

Did we miss any? Please let us know at dcifarelli@masslive.com.

Browse our players to watch for the upcoming season: Boys’ basketball | Girls’ hockey | Girls’ basketball | Boys’ hockey

Preseason Top 20 rankings: Boys’ basketball | Girls’ hockey | Girls’ basketball | Boys’ hockey

Earning their first coaching wins with their programs were Jesse Mitchell (Canton girls), Liv Robles (Essex Tech girls), Mark Garrity (Malden Catholic boys), Josh Keilty (St. Mary’s boys), Danny Burns (Belmont boys), and Adam Russo (Melrose boys).

▪ The North Reading girls emerged from double-overtime battle with Pentucket with a 52-45 victory thanks to a game-high 23 points from Sophia Gallivan.

▪ Amari Moe provided the buzzer-beating basket as the Lexington boys nipped Burlington, 64-62, despite a big night from the Redmen’s Matty Gray (29 points). Charlie O’Brien paced the Minutemen with 23 points.

▪ Eighth-grader Jackson Hines drilled a tying 3-pointer from the corner at the buzzer to send the game to overtime, then scored 4 of his team-high 13 points in the extra period to give the Arlington Catholic boys a 62-55 road win over Revere.

Our first Top 20 team to get taken down was the No. 17 Abington boys, who lost an 89-80 barnburner to New Bedford despite getting 30 points and 10 rebounds from Kingston Maxwell and 24 points and six rebounds from Tyler Staiti.

Noah Bayersdorfer, Winthrop — In a 54-43 win over East Boston, the senior posted 30 points and seven rebounds.

Ashley Cox, Barnstable — The junior led all rebounders on Friday night, pulling down 15 boards to go with 12 points in a 53-28 win over Bourne.

Hannah D’Angelo, Pembroke — Our one hockey entry of the night, the senior paced the Titans to a 5-1 win over Norwell with two goals and two assists.

Kayla Dunlap, Natick — The sophomore saturated the stat sheet with 25 points, 3 assists, 4 rebounds, and 5 steals in a 62-43 triumph vs. Brookline.

Anna Kanders, Swampscott — The sophomore did a tremendous job sharing the ball and looking for her own shot, scoring 20 points with eight assists in a 58-40 win against Gloucester.

Eileen Lowther, Hingham — The junior dominated the paint, blocking seven shots, grabbing 10 rebounds, and scoring 13 points to beat Middleborough, 43-19.

Diego Montanari, New Bedford — The senior dropped 31 points, leading the Whalers to an 89-80 upset of 17th-ranked Abington

Elian Rodriguez, Salem — The junior notched a double-double, scoring 21 points and dishing 10 assists in a 73-51 triumph over Saugus.

Roman Treadwell, Minuteman — The senior filled up the stat sheet with 18 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks ina 68-44 win over Nashoba Valley Tech.

Oliver Van Rhijn, Dover-Sherborn — The junior posted 23 points and 10 rebounds in a 56-44 win over Nipmuc.

▪ St. John’s Prep has a new volleyball coach: Pamela Benzan Leete. Leete coached both the boys’ and girls’ programs at Essex Tech, qualifying for the postseason for 10 consecutive years, capturing seven Commonwealth Athletic Conference crowns, and producing nine CAC MVPs.

“I am thankful and excited for this incredible opportunity,” said Leete in a statement. “I look forward to working with the boys and helping to mold this program’s future.”

Leete has also served as an assistant at Endicott and has spent more than a decade as a clinician at the Jumbos Volleyball Clinics at Tufts. A Danvers resident who grew up in Malden, she is the English department chair at St. John’s Prep, where she has worked since 2018.

“Pam embodies the kind of educator-coach who strengthens the heart of St. John’s Prep,” said athletic director Jameson Pelkey. “She understands how athletics can deepen a student’s confidence, character, and sense of purpose, and she has a remarkable track record of helping teams achieve at a high level while building a culture rooted in integrity and individual growth.”

Leete takes over an SJP program that has reached the Division 1 quarterfinals in two of the last four seasons.

▪ North Andover announced that former assistant Caitlin Enright will serve as interim girls’ lacrosse coach this spring. A North Andover alumna, Enright played three sports for the Scarlet Knights and went on to play lacrosse at Merrimack. A math teach at North Andover, Enright also serves as a JV soccer coach and freshman basketball coach.

▪ Former Catholic Memorial running back Datrell Jones has entered the transfer portal after three years at Boston College. He played in five games in 2024, with eight carries for 73 yards and a touchdown, but didn’t see the field in 2025.

▪ WPI sophomore Myles Lakin, a Reading graduate, and graduate student Lauren Meinhold, an Acton-Boxborough graduate, were named to the NFHCA Region 1 First Team. Meinhold is a two-time selection after leading the Engineers with 10 goals and five assists. She finished her career with 27 goal sand 26 assists. Lakin, who was named NEWMAC Defensive Player of the Year, logged 14 wins in net with an .863 save percentage and .955 goals against average.

▪ On Tuesday, the United Soccer Coaches released its All-America lists. Massachusetts was represented on the boys’ side by Emmanuel Marmolejo (Berkshire School), Alex Hensch (Longmeadow), Luke Dougherty (Natick), Bless Jeremie Mbuyi Kasongo (Northfield Mt. Hermon), and Garrison Murphy (St. John’s Prep). Honored on the girls’ side: Emmy O’Donnell (Concord-Carlisle), Sarah Tressler (Central Catholic), Emily Burnham (Wellesley), Sidney Heavey (Medfield), Addison Kalaw (BB&N), Tyler Martens (Groton), Nicole Proia (Natick), and Wylie Roossien (Phillips Andover).

▪ North Attleborough will retire Mike Babul’s No. 43 in between the boys’ and girls’ games against Attleboro on Jan. 20. Babul was a standout player for the Red Rocketeers before going on to play at UMass. After several stops as a college assistant, Babul was in his second season coaching Thayer Academy when he died of a heart attack at age 47 in 2024.

Diego Montananri, New Bedford, 31

Alex Ste. Marie, Manchester Essex, 31

Noah Bayersdorfer, Winthrop, 30

Kingston Maxwell, Abington, 30

Matty Gray, Burlington, 29

Cal Atherton, Newburyport, 28

Justin Flores, Lynnfield, 28

Connor Chiarello, Swampscott, 27

Liam MacPhee, Stoneham, 27

Jovani Melendez, Norton, 27

Caleb Haynes, Brookline, 26

Nate Lane, Salem, 26

Leticia Castro, Greater Lowell, 25

John Chareas, St. Mary’s, 25

Brandon Doherty, Lynnfield, 25

Kayla Dunlap, Natick, 25

George Howell, O’Bryant, 25

Mathaios Stamm, Newton North, 25

Teddy O’Neill, Swampscott, 24

Cam Santos, Bridgewater-Raynham, 24

Tyler Staiti, Abington, 24

Malikhi Tavares, Wareham, 24

Rolky Brea Arias, St. Mary’s, 23

Ethan Elie, Braintree, 23

Sophie Gallivan, North Reading, 23

Sarah Michel, Blue Hills, 23

Charlie O’Brien, Lexington, 23

Jonny Sullivan, Tewksbury, 23

Oliver Van Rhijn, Dover-Sherborn, 23

Harrison Burbine, Winchester, 22

Allie Danis, Newton North, 22

Savvy Eriksen, Abington, 22

Olivia Gaynor, Peabody, 22

Jordan Oliver, Acton-Boxborough, 22

Aiden Richard, Tewksbury, 22

Lily White, Dracut, 22

Weston Bunnell, Stoneham, 21

Elian Rodriguez, Salem, 21

Amare Rose, Wareham, 21

Meredith Gibbs, Dover-Sherborn, 20

Shane Harrington, Walpole, 20

Adyxandra Jimenez, Fenway, 20

Anna Kanders, Swampscott, 20

Ashley Cox, Barnstable, 15

Kelsey Hudon, Dracut, 12

Aboubakar Nimaka, Malden Catholic, 12

Bobby Taku, Malden Catholic, 12

Roman Treadwell, Minuteman, 12

Paige Morrison, Sandwich, 11

Sophia Coburn, Peabody, 10

Jeremy Hernandez, Catholic Memorial, 10

Eileen Lowther, Hingham, 10

Ava Martin, Somerville, 10

Kingston Maxwell, Abington, 10

Cassidy Saindon, Dracut, 10

Oliver Van Rhijn, Dover-Sherborn, 10

George Howell, O’Bryant, 9

Katie McMahon, Natick, 9

Teddy O’Neill, Swampscott, 9

Kate Suneson, Apponequet, 9

Lizzy Bettencourt, Peabody, 8

Kyle Ewans, Gloucester, 8

Jackson Farrington, O’Bryant, 8

Matt Kenney, Salem, 8

Erin Langone, Shawsheen, 8

Lily White, Dracut, 8

Elian Rodriguez, Salem, 10

Anna Kanders, Swampscott, 8

Domenic Paniello-Torres, Beverly, 8

Bridget Pole, Natick, 8

Dom Torres, Beverly, 8

Sienna Miranda, Seekonk, 7

Kaylee Maier, Dracut, 6

Kyle Ewans, Gloucester, 5

Grace Goudreau, Seekonk, 5

Amari Kergo, Somerville, 5

Rex Satter, Ipswich, 5

CC Curran, Natick, 4

Jillian Gagnier, Apponequet, 4

Hanna Kuriscak, Apponequet, 4

Teddy O’Neill, Swampscott, 4

Roman Treadwell, Minuteman, 4

Vin Winter, Ipswich, 4

Caelen Mahoney, Seekonk, 7

Kyle Ewans, Gloucester, 6

Lala Gomez, Shawsheen, 6

Amari Kergo, Somerville, 6

Tori White, Canton, 6

Avery Bettencourt, Peabody, 5

Kayla Dunlap, Natick, 5

Kelsey Hudon, Dracut, 5

Olivia Gaynor, Peabody, 5

Aliana Ryan, Peabody, 5

Connor Chiarello, Swampscott, 4

Jillian Gagnier, Apponequet, 4

Cece Levrault, Apponequet, 4

Sienna Miranda, Seekonk, 4

Denai Williams, Natick, 4

Eileen Lowther, Hingham, 7

Sophia Coburn, Peabody, 5

Carson Sarpong, Winchester, 5

Roman Treadwell, Minuteman, 2

Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.