Eric Reyes-Barriga

They're durable, affordable, and they come in all kinds of colors and patterns.

Often made to look like marble, they're actually made of a combination of quartz and other materials.

In recent years, they've been one of the top two most prevalent counter materials in the country.

Many of these engineered stone slabs have an extremely high concentration of silica, far more than marble or other natural stone.

While they're safe once installed, they can be extremely dangerous to work with.

When workers like Reyes-Barriga cut, trim, and polish the slabs to fit your kitchen or bathroom, they inhale extremely fine silica dust, which then inflames and scars their lungs.

Eventually, the scarring becomes so debilitating that the patients may require a lung transplant.

Just this fall, the state of California strengthened regulations around handling engineered stone in the workplace.

But it's still unclear if the new measures will be strong enough to prevent workers from catching the disease.

This month, Massachusetts issued a safety alert after a countertop fabrication worker was diagnosed with silicosis.

After a spate of silicosis cases in Australia, last year the government there banned the use and importation of these countertop materials.

Ray Espariga quit his fabrication job and is suing companies that manufacture or sell engineered stone in a personal injury case.

He got a new job working for an organization seeking to educate stone workers on the risks of silicosis.

He encourages them to leave the industry as soon as they can.

He said his doctors have told him that continued exposure will only hasten the disease.

Reyes-Barriga's story is part of a larger struggle for a safe workplace.

That struggle has been a source of tension in the American economy for over 100 years.

Some companies have successfully balanced their workers' well-being with their financial goals.

Others have not.

Now, as the U.S.