Francini, Inc. Compromised Artificial Stone Workers Safety for Their Own Gains

Francini Inc., established in 1994 and headquartered in Sun Valley, Southern California, has grown to become a major player in the natural and engineered stone product distribution industry in the United States. With multiple locations across the country and ties to international stone sourcing hubs like Carrara, Italy, Francini Inc. has positioned itself as a key supplier in the market. However, a closer examination of the company’s practices, particularly in regards to worker safety and product information, reveals a concerning disregard for the health risks associated with their products, notably their Lucastone™ quartz surfacing product.

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.