Connect with us

Massachusetts

Massachusetts man dies from deadly lung disease linked to popular kitchen countertops

Published

on

Massachusetts man dies from deadly lung disease linked to popular kitchen countertops


NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Massachusetts health officials announced Tuesday that the state has confirmed its first case of an incurable lung disease linked to exposure to certain countertop stones.

The disease is particularly associated with quartz, which has become increasingly popular in recent years for its practicality and aesthetic, according to health officials.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) said a 40-year-old man, who has worked in the stone countertop industry for 14 years, was recently diagnosed with silicosis, a condition that can cause death. 

Advertisement

“The confirmation of this case in Massachusetts is a tragic reminder that silicosis is not just a distant threat. It is here, and it is seriously impacting the health of workers in Massachusetts,” Emily H. Sparer-Fine, a director at DPH, said in a statement.

MICHIGAN MAN DIES OF RABIES AFTER RECEIVING KIDNEY FROM INFECTED DONOR WHO SAVED KITTEN FROM SKUNK: CDC

Kitchen with a quartz countertop Nov. 15, 2017, in Ballston Lake, N.Y. (John Carl D’Annibale/Albany Times Union)

The unnamed patient reportedly performed activities such as cutting, grinding and polishing, which can generate crystalline silica dust. When inhaled, this dust scars lung tissue and can lead to silicosis, DPH said.

The disease is preventable but irreversible and progressive, officials said. Symptoms include a persistent cough, shortness of breath, fatigue and chest pain. Because there is often a long latency period between exposure and symptom onset, diagnoses are frequently delayed, according to DPH. 

Advertisement

As the disease progresses, it can result in serious complications, including lung cancer, tuberculosis and even death, the department added. 

Officials added that “most cases of silicosis are work-related – it is very rare for silicosis to occur outside of workplace exposure.”

CDC REPORTS 19TH CRUISE SHIP NOROVIRUS OUTBREAK THIS YEAR AFFECTING PASSENGERS AND CREW

father and son install quartz countertop

A father and son set up a quartz countertop at a booth in Albany Sept. 15, 2011.  (John Carl D’Annibale/Albany Times Union)

Officials said the risk exists when handling natural stones, such as granite, but is especially high when working with engineered stone, such as quartz. While natural granite typically contains less than 45% silica, engineered stone can contain more than 90%, DPH reported.

“In recent years, the disease has become more prevalent among stone fabrication workers due to the rise in popularity of countertops made from engineered stone (also known as quartz or artificial stone),” DPH reported. 

Advertisement

BOTULISM DEATHS RAISE FOOD TRUCK SAFETY CONCERNS AS DOCTOR PREACHES ‘AWARENESS’

An employee applies a sealant to sheets for countertops May 14, 2014. (Craig Warga/Bloomberg)

The department noted that, while this is the first confirmed case in Massachusetts within this industry, more cases are expected due to the disease’s long latency period and the rising popularity of engineered stone.

Other states have also reported cases of silicosis. In a 2023 study, California researchers identified 52 quartz countertop workers with silicosis. Twenty of them had advanced disease and 10 died.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Advertisement

Despite the disease’s potential severity, there has not been an outright ban on quartz in U.S. kitchens. By contrast, all work involving engineered stone has already been banned in Australia due to the severe risks it poses to workers. Other countries are also pushing for more regulations.

The DPH emphasizes that silicosis is “absolutely preventable” through proper workplace controls. The alert urges employers in the stone countertop fabrication industry to implement effective safety measures, such as wet cutting and proper ventilation, to minimize silica exposure and protect workers.

“Silicosis is a devastating, life-altering disease and one that is also absolutely preventable,” Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein said in a statement.



Source link

Massachusetts

Ice covered highways, streets and sidewalks in Boston area rattled nerves during morning commute: “I’m ready for the thaw”

Published

on

Ice covered highways, streets and sidewalks in Boston area rattled nerves during morning commute: “I’m ready for the thaw”


It was a treacherous commute for drivers across Massachusetts Wednesday morning. Ice on roads and highways caused several crashes during rush hour.

In Danvers, 22 miles north of Boston, the ramp from Interstate 95 to Route 1 north was covered in ice, leading to three separate crashes involving twelve cars. Three people were taken to local hospitals.

In Danvers, Mass. the ramp from Interstate 95 to Route 1 north was covered in ice, leading to three separate crashes involving twelve cars on March 4, 2026.

Advertisement

CBS Boston


In Revere, just seven miles north of the city, two tractor-trailers collided on North Shore Road. Police said it will be shut down for most of the day. It’s unclear if this crash was caused by icy conditions.

Forty-four miles west of Boston, a tractor-trailer ran off the westbound side of the Massachusetts Turnpike in Westboro. One person was taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester with what were described by the fire department as “non-life threatening injuries.”

The ice wasn’t just a problem for drivers. People walking around Boston were also slipping and sliding Wednesday morning.

“I almost fell at least five times but I didn’t. I don’t know how. I screamed and caught edges,” Swapna Vantzelfde told CBS News Boston about her walk to work in the South End. It took longer than usual.

Advertisement

“The internal streets they just don’t get plowed, the little ones that people live on and then these arteries, the big streets, they’re cleaned a lot better,” she said.

Those on two legs and four were all stepping gingerly across slick spots.

“A little treacherous. Very slick and icy out here,” said a father pushing a stroller. “Sometimes you have something to hold on to, which helps.”

With plenty of snow piled along sidewalks and between parking spots, most people are done with winter.

“I’m over it. I’m ready for the thaw,” said one man. 

Advertisement



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Massachusetts

‘No way to leave’: Mass. families stuck in Middle East amid war in Iran

Published

on

‘No way to leave’: Mass. families stuck in Middle East amid war in Iran


Massachusetts families are stuck in the Middle East amid the war in Iran, and Democratic Sen. Ed Markey says the State Department needs to do more to get them home.

The Trump administration is telling Americans to leave the region, and families would love to, but they haven’t been able to get out.

Stacey Schuhwerk of Hingham has been sheltering in place in a Doha hotel since Saturday.

“We hear the missiles outside,” she said. “We can see them.”

Advertisement

The Hingham mother and her son are among nearly 1,600 Americans trapped in the Middle East with no way to get home.

“Airspace is shut down. There’s no planes,” said Schuhwerk. “There’s no way to leave.”

Flights between Boston and the Middle East are canceled or delayed as travelers express anxiety over the conflict.

At first, U.S. officials told people to shelter in place and register with the State Department — something Schuhwerk did days ago.

“There’s no help there. The last time we called was 20 minutes ago, and they continue to say that ‘We don’t know anything about any plans for government help to get people out,’” she said.

Advertisement

Embassies and consulates across the region — including the U.S. Embassy in Israel — have now suspended services, saying they simply can’t get Americans out.

“They did not have a plan to conduct this war, and they clearly did not have a plan as to how to evacuate innocent families,” Markey said.

The senator says his office is hearing from Massachusetts families, and he’s pressuring the Trump administration to come up with an evacuation plan fast.

“We are going to apply that pressure on the State Department until every American who wants to leave that region is out,” he said.

Back in Doha, Schuhwerk keeps watching the war outside her window.

Advertisement

“The talk here is ‘How much defensive ammunition’s left?’ Good question, you know, because the missiles aren’t stopping,” she said. “So how long are we going to be safe here?”

With no clear end to this conflict, she’s worried she could be stuck there for weeks.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Massachusetts

Snow, ice, rain to impact roads in Massachusetts – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

Published

on

Snow, ice, rain to impact roads in Massachusetts – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News


Happy Tuesday! While today started off dry, we’re already looking at snow out there across the area. While this event will primarily stay as rain on the Cape and islands, it will be an icy mix of snow, ice and rain for the rest of us.

The rain/snow line will continue to advance from the south to the north as the evening progresses. Before the changeover, there will be a quick coating to 2 inches for most of our area.

The threshold between the snow and rain will feature sleet and freezing rain, leading to that icing.

For the rest of the night, there will primarily be rain with continued pockets of freezing rain, leading to increasing spotty ice accretion. Be extremely careful on roads, especially since switching between rain and freezing rain can wash off any road salt.

The rain and freezing rain will exit by 6 a.m. Wednesday, but temperatures will still be close to freezing during the morning commute, so watch out for some spotty black ice.

The rest of Wednesday will be really nice! Highs will warm up to the mid 50s with the help of ample sun.

Thursday we start off in the mid 20s and top off in the mid 40s. We’ll be partly sunny with another chance for some wintry weather Thursday night. This primarily looks like some rain and freezing rain, rather than the triple threat with snow too. We’ll keep an eye on that for you.

That will continue into Friday morning. The rest of Friday: cloudy with a chance for a spot shower and highs cooler again in the upper 30s. Saturday will be dry, breezy and cloudy but gorgeous near 50 degrees! There’s a chance for some rain showers Saturday night. Don’t forget to set your clocks forward an hour before you to go bed!

Sunday we start the day mild in the 40s and make it all the way into the upper 50s with more sun. Monday and Tuesday both look bright and in the 60s! Stay tuned.

Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox
Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending