Is Your Fabrication Shop Truly Safe - or Are You Relying on Assumptions?

In this episode of Stone Chatter, Mark Meriaux of the Natural Stone Institute, Peter Dominguez of California Surfaces and Eric Vlaanderen of Legacy Counters join the conversation for a practical look at workplace safety. They explain why wet fabrication alone does not guarantee silica exposure is controlled, how air monitoring and medical screening protect employees, and what shop owners should expect when OSHA arrives. The discussion also goes beyond silica to address forklift safety, electrical cords, trip hazards, housekeeping, documentation and workers’ compensation costs. Most importantly, the guests explain why safety cannot be treated as an occasional meeting or a binder on a shelf—it must become part of the shop’s daily culture. If you own, manage or supervise a countertop fabrication business, this episode will help you recognize overlooked risks, strengthen your safety program and better protect both your employees and your company.