NSI

The International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA) and the Natural Stone Institute (NSI) are working together on long-term silica research to better understand real-world exposure in stone fabrication and improve worker safety across our industry. 

This collaboration is built around shared responsibility and transparency. Together, ISFA and NSI are jointly raising funds, coordinating independent scientific research, and collecting workplace exposure data from member shops. Costs and responsibilities are shared equally, and research findings are communicated jointly to ensure accuracy, consistency, and credibility. 

The goal is simple: use solid science to guide safety practices, inform regulators, and protect the people doing the work every day. This partnership reflects a commitment to collaboration over finger-pointing and to solutions that are practical, data-driven, and grounded in real fabrication environments. This cooperative effort is part of a multi-year agreement and supports ongoing research initiatives, including studies conducted with independent academic and medical experts. All work is governed by strict confidentiality, scientific integrity, and responsible use of data. 

Why This Matters to Fabricators 

Fabricators are the ones cutting, grinding, polishing, and breathing the air every day. Decisions about silica safety directly affect your shop, your people, your costs, and your ability to stay in business. 

This collaboration matters because it: 

• Focuses on real shops, not lab-only theories – Data comes from actual fabrication environments, tools, and work practices. 
• Protects workers and owners alike – Better data leads to better controls, clearer expectations, and fewer surprises from regulators. 
• Helps prevent one-size-fits-all rules – Science-backed findings help regulators understand what actually works on the shop floor. 
• Keeps fabricators at the table – Your experience and data help shape outcomes instead of decisions being made without you. 
• Builds long-term stability for the industry – Safer shops, informed standards, and credible research protect the future of fabrication. 

At the end of the day, this work is about keeping people healthy, keeping shops open, and making sure the industry is judged on facts; not fear, headlines, or incomplete information.