The post GRAMAR STONE CENTER, INC. Downplayed the Risks of Producing Artificial Stone Products appeared first on Brayton Purcell LLP.
]]>Gramar’s 2021 Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for its “Quartz” products is a case in point. The document misleadingly categorizes these artificial stone products as “naturally occurring minerals,” ignoring the significant health hazards posed by the respirable crystalline silica dust generated during fabrication. This dust is known to cause severe diseases such as silicosis, pulmonary fibrosis, and lung cancer when inhaled by workers. The assertion that the finished products are non-hazardous is not only false but dangerously misleading, as the stone slabs require further processing before installation, during which harmful dust is inevitably produced.
The handling and storage section of the MSDS inadequately addresses the necessity of respiratory protection. It suggests that such protection might not be required if “effective engineering controls” are in place. This advice is dangerously misleading, as the toxic nature of the dust generated from these products necessitates respiratory protection regardless of other controls.
Furthermore, the recommendation for respiratory protection in the MSDS is alarmingly insufficient. It suggests that a “properly fitted NIOSH/MSHA approved particulate respirator” may be used when cutting or installing these products. This advice grossly underestimates the protection required to prevent silicosis and other lung diseases caused by the ultrafine particles of crystalline silica in artificial stone dust. Only NIOSH-approved air-supplied respirators can offer adequate protection, yet Gramar’s MSDS fails to make this clear, putting workers at grave risk.
The toxicological information section of the MSDS is equally troubling. It downplays the risk of acute effects from exposure to these products, erroneously suggesting that only “very rare cases” of acute silicosis might occur from “extremely dusty environments.” This statement is misleading and minimizes the well-documented risks of silicosis and other serious health conditions associated with regular exposure to crystalline silica dust, even in less extreme conditions.
Moreover, the regulatory information provided in the MSDS is misleading and potentially harmful. It refers to the products as “natural stone tile” and lists toxic metals that are not disclosed in the composition section of the document. If these toxic metals are indeed present, the lack of adequate safety instructions poses a severe risk to workers, especially considering the deadly lung diseases associated with some of these elements, like beryllium.
The failure of Gramar Stone Center to provide accurate, comprehensive, and clear safety information in its MSDS is a glaring indication of the company’s disregard for the health and safety of workers who handle its products. The misleading statements and inadequate safety instructions not only undermine worker safety but also reflect a broader issue of transparency and accountability in the industry.
Andrea Pier Paolo Francini, the CEO and key decision-maker of Gramar Stone Center, bears responsibility for these failings. Under his leadership, the company has failed to fulfill its duty to ensure that its products can be used safely, without putting workers at risk of life-threatening diseases. The case of Gramar Stone Center serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for stricter regulations and oversight in the stone product industry to protect the health and safety of workers.
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]]>The post FRANCINI, INC. Compromised Artificial Stone Workers Safety for Their Own Gains appeared first on Brayton Purcell LLP.
]]>The Material Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for Lucastone, which surfaced around 2021, is a testament to Francini Inc.’s troubling approach to hazard communication. The document claims that the finished Lucastone product poses no risk, blatantly ignoring the significant dangers associated with respirable crystalline silica dust generated during the product’s fabrication. This dust is known to cause silicosis, lung cancer, kidney disease, and autoimmune diseases — severe health hazards that Francini Inc. fails to adequately acknowledge or address in their SDS.
The hazard identification section of the SDS is particularly alarming for its inadequacy. It merely warns of “irritation” from dust exposure without providing clear guidance on the serious risks of prolonged or repeated inhalation of silica dust. The provided use instructions are equally deficient, offering generic advice like “Do not breathe dust” without specifying how workers can protect themselves from the inevitable dust generated during stone fabrication. Such instructions are not only unhelpful but dangerously misleading, suggesting that basic precautions are sufficient when, in reality, specialized respiratory protection is essential to prevent silicosis.
Moreover, the SDS’s respiratory protection section is grossly inadequate. It fails to emphasize that only NIOSH-approved air-supplied respirators can effectively prevent silicosis in workers handling high crystalline silica content materials like Lucastone. Instead, it vaguely suggests that “respiratory equipment approved by NIOSH/MSHA” is necessary without specifying the type, thereby leaving workers vulnerable to severe health risks.
Francini Inc.’s attempt to absolve itself of responsibility for safe product use is starkly evident in the disclaimer at the end of the MSDS. The company shifts the burden of determining safe use conditions onto the user, a clear abdication of their duty to provide comprehensive and actionable safety information. This stance is not only ethically questionable but also legally dubious, as manufacturers are obligated to ensure their products can be used safely and to inform users of any associated hazards adequately.
The CEO, CFO, and Secretary of Francini Inc., Andrea Pier Paolo Francini, must be held accountable for these failings. The company’s approach to hazard communication and worker safety under his leadership suggests a deep-seated indifference to the well-being of those who work with Francini Inc.’s products. The case of Francini Inc. serves as a stark reminder of the need for stringent regulatory oversight and corporate accountability in the stone product distribution industry. Worker safety should never be compromised for profit, and companies like Francini Inc. must be compelled to adopt more responsible and transparent practices to protect their workers from the insidious dangers of respirable crystalline silica dust.
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]]>The post Camp Lejeune Claims Deadline Approaching appeared first on Brayton Purcell LLP.
]]>Over the last two years we have all seen advertisements on television notifying us that between 1953 to 1987, the drinking water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina was contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals, causing various diseases, including certain cancers, kidney conditions, and neurological disorders in Marines, their family members, and civilian workers stationed or working at the base.
Brayton Purcell LLP encourages anyone who worked at Camp Lejeune to contact us NOW so we may evaluate your claim, as time is running out to file these claims. The law permits individuals who qualify, to file claims until August 10, 2024, which is two years from the date the bill was signed into law.
If the answer to the following three questions is YES, you or your loved one qualify to file a claim and should call Brayton Purcell LLP as soon as possible.
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]]>The post EUROPEAN SURFACES LLC (DBA EUROSTONE) Failed to Prioritize Artificial Stone Worker’s Health and Safety appeared first on Brayton Purcell LLP.
]]>The MSDS issued by European Surfaces LLC in 2010 for Eurostone is a case in point. While the document acknowledges the potential for dust generation during the cutting, grinding, and forming of the product, it grossly downplays the severe health risks associated with inhaling respirable crystalline silica dust. The MSDS merely warns of “irritation” to the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract, failing to mention the grave diseases such as silicosis, lung cancer, kidney disease, and autoimmune disorders that workers are at risk of developing from prolonged exposure to silica dust.
Furthermore, the MSDS’s section on “Exposure Controls / Personal Protection” is alarmingly inadequate. It suggests that respiratory protection might not always be necessary and provides no specific guidance on the type of respiratory protection required to safeguard against the minuscule, yet highly dangerous, particles of artificial stone dust. This omission is not just an oversight; it’s a glaring indication of the company’s failure to prioritize the health and safety of workers handling its products.
The document’s major flaw lies in its failure to offer clear, actionable instructions that could prevent the onset of silicosis among stone countertop fabricators. Instead, it minimizes the lethal hazard posed by its product by focusing on minor irritations and omits critical information on the necessary protective measures to prevent serious lung diseases. This approach not only endangers workers but also reveals a concerning level of negligence on the part of European Surfaces LLC.
The MSDS’s lack of adequate safety instructions and the downplaying of health hazards amount to a concealment of the true risks posed by Eurostone products.
This situation raises significant ethical concerns about European Surfaces LLC’s commitment to transparency and worker safety. It underscores the urgent need for regulatory bodies to enforce stricter compliance with safety standards and for companies like European Surfaces LLC to adopt a more responsible and transparent approach to product safety. The health and safety of workers should never be compromised for profit, and it’s high time companies like European Surfaces LLC are held accountable for their actions. The case of European Surfaces LLC serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of comprehensive and honest safety documentation and the moral and legal obligations of manufacturers to protect their workers from harm.
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]]>The post DIRESCO NV AND DIRESCO USA, LLC appeared first on Brayton Purcell LLP.
]]>The MSDS issued by Diresco in January 2018 contained statements suggesting that the finished Diresco® Quartz Surfaces posed no risk, which is misleading considering that the fabrication process of these surfaces involves the release of respirable crystalline silica dust. This dust is known to cause serious health issues, including silicosis, lung cancer, and other respiratory diseases. Despite acknowledging the dangers of inhaling crystalline silica particles in the same document, Diresco failed to provide this crucial safety data sheet to workers or their employers, nor did it translate the document into languages like Spanish to ensure wider comprehension among non-English speaking laborers.
Moreover, the MSDS provided inadequate instructions for protective measures, suggesting that respiratory protection was only necessary in cases of insufficient ventilation. This advice grossly underestimates the necessity of using specific types of respirators to prevent silicosis, misleading workers about the level of protection needed when handling the product.
Diresco’s approach to product safety and worker protection raises significant concerns. The company’s failure to adequately communicate the health risks associated with its products, coupled with insufficient guidance on protective measures, demonstrates a disregard for the well-being of those who work with these materials. This negligence is particularly alarming given the severe and often irreversible health conditions caused by exposure to crystalline silica dust.
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]]>The post Compac Quartz, Inc. appeared first on Brayton Purcell LLP.
]]>A Quartz Safety Sheet from September 2012, associated with Compac Quartz, misleadingly stated that there were “no hazards associated with finished quartz products” under a certain European Commission standard. This statement is problematic for several reasons: it falsely presents the product as a finished consumer good, whereas it actually requires further fabrication into countertops, a process that generates harmful dust; it denies any associated hazards, ignoring the significant health risks posed by the inhalation of crystalline silica during the product’s use; and it overlooks EU regulations that classify substances like crystalline silica, which can be extremely toxic and even fatal when inhaled, as dangerous.
Compacstone USA, Inc., and Compac Atlanta, LLC, are later entities linked to the distribution of these materials, with operations extending to wholesaling engineered marble and quartz. Despite the rebranding and establishment of new corporate entities, the fundamental issue remains the same: the company’s failure to adequately acknowledge and communicate the serious health risks associated with their products. This disregard for health hazards not only undermines public trust but also poses a grave risk to workers in the stone fabrication industry, who are exposed to dangerous levels of crystalline silica without proper warnings or safety measures.
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]]>The post Can Artificial Intelligence Diagnose Mesothelioma? appeared first on Brayton Purcell LLP.
]]>The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that “AI applications in oncology include risk assessment, early diagnosis, patient prognosis estimation, and treatment selection based on deep knowledge.”
Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. While progress has been made in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancer patients, individualized care is a challenge. AI could help diagnose cancer and recognize anomalies in scans that doctors may miss.
According to Cancer Research UK, there are five things needed in the healthcare field to make AI cancer diagnosis standard.
The first is support for AI technology in the workforce. Hospitals and treatment centers will need AI specialists to setup and run the equipment and training and development opportunities for medical staff.
The second is infrastructure. AI systems need digital data in order to work. Radiology is mostly already fully digitized, which put in a good position to embrace AI. Most pathologists, however, still look at samples under a microscope.
The third is confident leaders. Healthcare leaders must see the potential of AI tools and be ready with solutions to impending issues like funding and manpower.
The fourth in equality. AI can help anyone at risk of cancer, not just certain sections of the population. AI tools should be trained on anyone regardless of an individual’s ethnicity, sex, or other characteristics.
The fifth is to maintain public trust. Technological advances, such as AI, can be abandoned quickly if the public does not think it is trustworthy.
AI has emerged as a promising option for improving healthcare accuracy and patient outcomes. AI has the potential to improve the diagnosis, prognosis, and quality of life of patients with mesothelioma.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact one of our asbestos attorneys today.
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]]>The post Georgia-Pacific Avoids Paying Former Employees Compensation for Asbestos Exposure appeared first on Brayton Purcell LLP.
]]>Georgia-Pacific is currently facing over 60,000 lawsuits for asbestos exposure. They have not paid anything to former employees since 2017 by using the “Texas two-step.”
In Texas, a corporation can split into two companies. This allows them to place any lawsuits and liabilities into one company and the assets to the other. Bestwall LLC was created from Georgia-Pacific to handle their asbestos liabilities and then filed for bankruptcy in 2017.
Georgia-Pacific manufactured asbestos-containing drywall products until the 1970s exposing many employees and consumers to asbestos.
Charles Koch and his late brother David, the owners of Georgia-Pacific, funded legislative efforts that impeded asbestos victims from collecting compensation. They also lobbied against asbestos regulation.
There are ongoing efforts to overturn the bankruptcy of Bestwall.
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]]>The post Important Changes to Medi-Cal Health Insurance Coverage appeared first on Brayton Purcell LLP.
]]>The post Important Changes to Medi-Cal Health Insurance Coverage appeared first on Brayton Purcell LLP.
]]>The post San Francisco Bay Area Brain Injury Lawyer appeared first on Brayton Purcell LLP.
]]>Brain injuries often happen suddenly in motor vehicle crashes, slip and falls, and other accidents.
Brain injuries may come with massive financial costs. Victims might have no other option but to seek compensation with the help of an attorney. If you or a loved one has suffered a serious brain injury, please contact Rush Injury Law today for a free consultation.
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