COMPAC SAFETY

Health and Safety Space

Respirable Crystalline Silica

What is Respirable Crystalline Silica?

Risk to Professionals

End User

Health and Safety Documentation

WELCOME TO COMPAC'S HEALTH AND SAFETY AREA

Within the framework of COMPAC® principles, health and safety are a priority. In this sense COMPAC® encourages a safe working environment, promoting the highest standards of health and safety to all employees, suppliers, distributors, manufacturers, stonemasons, installers or customers.

COMPAC® products, as finished products, do not present any risk or health hazard in transportation, shipping or when used by the final consumer. However, due to the silica content in some of the products, the manufacture, processing, installation or handling of these products generates respirable crystalline silica dust (CRS).

The presence of CRS in a work environment requires strict compliance with safety measures, in accordance with current health and safety regulations.

With the firm purpose of sharing health and safety information, COMPAC® makes available to professional collaborators who work with, handle, prepare, process and install COMPAC® products various resources and documents with safety information and recommendations (hereinafter, “The Safety Documentation”) that you will find on this website, including Safety Data Sheets, Safety Labels, Good Practice Guide and other information and resources of interest in relation to health and safety.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER

The Safety Documentation includes information and recommendations related to occupational health and safety, however IN NO EVENT IS THIS GUIDE EXHAUSTIVE OR SUBSTITUTIVE OF LEGAL HEALTH AND SAFETY OBLIGATIONS UNDER APPLICABLE LOCAL REGULATIONS. Always obtain advice from your management and a professional industrial hygienist to implement the necessary occupational safety measures to meet regulatory requirements and mitigate dust exposure, as the necessary safety measures depend on the specific conditions of the workplace.

Employers are responsible for informing and training their workers on health and safety matters, and for ensuring that the workplace complies with all applicable occupational health and safety regulations. Consultation with a competent local professional occupational hygienist is strongly recommended to adequately protect these workers.

This is a global site. The information contained in this Space or in the files available for download is not country specific, please refer to the applicable legislation in your location.

WHAT IS RESPIRABLE CRYSTALLINE SILICA?

Silica refers to a group of minerals composed of silicon and oxygen, the two most abundant elements in the Earth’s crust. Its chemical formula is SiO₂. Silica can appear in either crystalline or amorphous form, with crystalline being the most common in nature. The most frequent crystalline forms are quartz, tridymite, and cristobalite.

Quartz is found in all types of terrestrial rocks—igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary—and is the second most common mineral, and the main component of, for example, beach sand. Significant quartz concentrations can be found in granites, shales, sandstones, quartzites, clays, slates, and to a lesser extent in marbles, basalts, or limestones. Cristobalite is a high-temperature crystalline polymorph of silica formed naturally through volcanic activity or artificially by catalyzed conversion of quartz at high temperatures in a rotary kiln. Quartz and cristobalite are minerals with high melting points, high hardness, translucency or transparency, and relative inertness and resistance to chemical attack. These properties make them extremely useful and a key raw material for many industries, including glass, paint, plastics, and, in the case of COMPAC®, the construction surfaces industry.

Construction surfaces marketed by COMPAC® contain crystalline silica in the following weight proportions: COMPAC IQ Pro 0: 0–1%, COMPAC IQ Pro 25: 1–25%, COMPAC IQ: 25–90%.

Crystalline silica, under normal consumer use, poses no health risk. However, massive or prolonged inhalation of respirable dust containing crystalline silica can cause serious occupational diseases. When materials containing crystalline silica are cut, crushed, ground, drilled, polished, or machined using similar mechanical processes, dust particles containing respirable crystalline silica may become airborne and remain suspended. Only the fraction of these dust particles with a particle size of less than 10 micrometers can penetrate the respiratory tract and reach the alveolar region of the lungs.

This small particle fraction is known as Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS).

Risk to Professionals

Construction surfaces marketed by COMPAC® contain crystalline silica in the following weight proportions: COMPAC IQ Pro 0: 0–1%, COMPAC IQ Pro 25: 1–25%, COMPAC IQ: 26–90%.

Crystalline silica is also present in varying amounts in common building materials such as granite, slate, quartzite, bricks, clay tiles, and concrete, among others.

If adequate measures are not taken to minimize worker exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) during the processing of materials containing crystalline silica, massive, repeated, or prolonged inhalation of RCS can lead to serious occupational diseases such as pneumoconiosis, pulmonary fibrosis (silicosis), lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or kidney disease.

The risk of developing these occupational diseases can be prevented by following safety precautions to minimize exposure to RCS, as provided by relevant local regulations. Ensure that the workplace complies with the most updated directives from your local governmental safety authority. Employers of workers who process these products are responsible for informing their employees about this risk. If you resell these products, you must pass along this occupational health and safety information to all workers processing the products down the supply chain.

Preventive measures to consider and implement include controlling dust at its source (e.g., wet cutting and/or integrated dust extraction), engineering controls, ventilation and air renewal systems, and the use of personal respiratory protection with appropriate particulate filters, depending on the level of exposure to crystalline silica. COMPAC recommends always using at least a high-efficiency filter (European EN143 Type P3; NIOSH N95, R95, P95 or higher; Australian AS/NZS 1716 Type P1, P2 or higher).

For enhanced protection, a powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) with a tight-fitting facepiece and high-efficiency particulate filter is recommended. Note that facial hair reduces the effectiveness of a respirator mask.

Warning

Quartz and Obsidian products may expose you to chemicals including crystalline silica (airborne respirable particles), known to the State of California to cause cancer. For more information, visit www.P65warnings.ca.gov

COMPAC®, encourages its partners involved in manufacturing and installation activities to review product labels, safety data sheets, and the guidance provided here, as well as other publicly available resources on dust exposure prevention and safety. Examples include:

· OSHA NIOSH Hazard Alert
· NEPSI – European Network on Silica
· “Handle Stone with Care” Initiative

End User

The risks mentioned in this COMPAC® Safety Space are occupational and thus specific to professionals processing COMPAC® products. When used as intended in construction applications (e.g., countertops, floors, wall cladding, facades, sinks, shower trays), these products are completely safe for general consumers.

Finished slab products do not pose a health risk when transported or used in their intended applications (e.g., countertops, vanities, flooring, wall panels). In most cases, they are certified by independent international organizations as materials that meet indoor air quality standards for volatile organic compounds, as well as health safety requirements and suitability for food contact.

As with any other construction material containing crystalline silica (e.g., granite, slate, marble, quartzite, tiles, bricks, concrete), cutting and finishing should be carried out by professionals in appropriate facilities. If onsite processing is necessary, the professional must use methods to prevent dusty environments (e.g., wet processing, dust extraction) and avoid dust inhalation (e.g., respiratory protection, ventilation). In any case, this does not pose a health risk to the end user. Silicosis and other diseases associated with respirable crystalline silica develop only as a result of continued or repeated occupational exposure.

Occasional DIY activities with COMPAC® products are unlikely to have adverse health effects. Regular inhalation of high levels of dust over years causes lung and other diseases. Nonetheless, minimizing dust generation during DIY is a sensible precaution. Simple steps to prevent dust include closing interior doors to limit spread, using tools with integrated suction, prioritizing wet methods, maintaining good hygiene and order, and wearing personal protective equipment.

For more information about dust prevention during DIY activities, visit www.diywithoutdust.eu.

Health and Safety Documentation

In this section, you will find the most updated documentation on chemical health and environmental protection. It includes Safety Data Sheets (SDS), Safety Labels, Good Practice Guides, and Acknowledgement Forms.

It covers the Quartz and Obsidian product families.

This documentation is provided to inform users of potential chemical hazards associated with COMPAC® products and help employers comply with local regulations regarding the protection of worker health and safety from chemical agents in the workplace.

Safety Labels

Here you will find the contents of the Safety Labels attached to COMPAC® products.

Safety Data Sheets

Here you will find the latest version of the Safety Data Sheets for COMPAC® products.

Good Practice Guide

Here you will find the Good Practice Guide for working with construction surfaces marketed by COMPAC®.

Acknowledgement Form

Here you will find a form to acknowledge receipt of the information provided by COMPAC®.

Safety Labels

2025 Safety Label

Information label on the risks associated with working with materials containing crystalline silica. Includes health warnings, hazard statements, safety advice and precautionary measures for safe manufacture and installation. Stresses the need to use wet methods, respiratory protection (P3 or N95) and dust extraction systems. Available in several languages, with links to extended documentation.

Download PDF

Recommended Resource Materials

Various local or regional authorities and industry associations are publishing their own informative materials, Best Practice Guides, and videos related to the risks of working with crystalline silica and safe work practices.

We recommend consulting the following resources (there may be others available in your country):

NEPSI: European Network on Silica

The international Labour Organization

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety

Safe Work NSW Video- Working Safely with Crystalline Silica

Health and Safety Executive-UK

OSHA NIOSH Hazard Alert

OSHA HAZARD ANALYSIS

OSHA Consultation Program

OSHA Silica, Crystalline

Cal/OSHA Silica Standards and Resources

CDC and NIOSH: Silica and Worker Health

OSHA Respirable Crystalline Silica Focused Inspection Initiative

Natural Stone Institute

A.ST.A. Worldwide Statement on Health and Safety

Safety Data Sheets

2025 Quartz Safety Data Sheet

Technical document with key information for the safe use of Quartz COMPAC® surfaces. Includes product identification, associated hazards, chemical composition and first aid measures. Details handling, storage, personal protection, exposure control and disposal guidelines. Also covers ecological, toxicological and regulatory aspects. Essential for professionals working with materials containing crystalline silica.

Download PDF

2025 Obsidiana Safety Data Sheet

Technical document with key information for the safe use of Obsidian COMPAC® surfaces. Includes product identification, associated hazards, chemical composition and first aid measures. Details handling, storage, personal protection, exposure control and disposal guidelines. Also covers ecological, toxicological and regulatory aspects. Essential for professionals working with materials containing crystalline silica.

Download PDF

Good Practice Guide

Good Practices Guide for the Manufacture of COMPAC® Products

Technical document aimed at professionals working with COMPAC® products, especially in cutting, grinding, polishing and installation tasks. It contains detailed recommendations on occupational health and safety regarding exposure to respirable crystalline silica, as well as preventive measures, protective equipment, cleaning, ventilation, staff training and regulatory compliance, with the aim of minimising risks when handling the material.

Download PDF

Acknowledgement Form

Safety Receipt Form

Document detailing receipt of the COMPAC® Guide to Good Practice, Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and Safety Labels. It includes a declaration of knowledge of the risks of working with crystalline silica and a commitment to apply the safety measures indicated for the handling and installation of the products.

Download PDF