Natural Stone Institute Releases State of Silica Safety: 2024-25 Progress Report and 2026 Roadmap

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The Natural Stone Institute has released its comprehensive silica safety report covering progress made during 2024-2025 and laying out a detailed roadmap for 2026. This is arguably the most important document the NSI has published on silica this year – it tells the industry where we are, what has been accomplished, and where we are heading.

The report documents significant progress in several areas: industry-wide air monitoring programs, expanded safety training for fabrication shops, and strengthened advocacy relationships with state and federal regulators. The 2026 roadmap signals further investment in research, tools, and policy engagement – reflecting the fact that silica regulation is accelerating, not slowing down.

Key areas covered in the report:

• Summary of air monitoring data collected across participating fabrication shops
• Progress on safety training program adoption and completion rates
• State-level regulatory developments and the NSI’s engagement strategy
• 2026 priorities, including research, advocacy, and new guidance documents

This report should be read in conjunction with the NSI’s updated respirator guidance and the announcement of expanded silica safety advocacy and research efforts. Together, these three documents represent a coordinated push by the US natural stone industry to get ahead of regulation rather than react to it.

Perhaps most importantly, the report demonstrates that the stone industry is building a credible, data-driven voice in the regulatory conversation. Rather than simply opposing regulation, the NSI is investing in the evidence and the tools that make compliance achievable. For fabrication shop owners, this means the regulatory path ahead – while demanding – is being shaped by people who understand the realities of running a stone shop. Also worth reviewing: the https://silicafreesurfaces.com/nsi-respirator-guidance-fabricators-2026/updated respirator guidance and https://silicafreesurfaces.com/yale-silica-air-monitoring-study/the newly open-access Yale air monitoring study.