Monument and Cut Stone Safety and OSHA Compliance

The following is a summary of a podcast from the Monument Builders of North America. 

Host: Mike Johns (CM AICA, Monument Builders of North America)

Guest: Mark Harrison (President of Certified Safety Training - CST)

Topic: Safety and OSHA Compliance for Monument Builders

Introduction

Mike Johns: Each episode of Monument Matters is an extension of our monthly magazine, MB News. Today I’m speaking with Mark Harrison, President of Certified Safety Training (CST), an organization that partners with the MBNA to offer safety programs. These programs help monument builders protect employees by identifying safety gaps, avoiding fines, and creating a culture where everyone goes home safe.

Today, we’re tackling topics that affect every shop: OSHA compliance, silica exposure, heavy lifting, noise, and machine safety. Welcome to the podcast, Mark.

Mark Harrison: Thanks, Mike. Thanks for having me.

Common Hazards and Overlooked Risks

Mike Johns: What are the most common safety hazards monument builders face, and why are they so often overlooked?

Mark Harrison: Everyone in the industry knows how hazardous it can be. Regulatory bodies like OSHA don’t care about "experience"; they care about "exposure."

• Silica Dust: This is a huge one, especially with new regulations in California. It requires a formal respiratory protection program, which includes managing respirators, fit testing, and health screenings.

• Lifting and Rigging: This involves inspecting straps and having protocols for moving heavy stones.

• Recordkeeping: This is the most overlooked. You can have the tools, but if you don’t record the training—whether at the time of initial assignment or annually—you have no proof of compliance.

Scaling Safety Services

Mike Johns: What prompted CST to review the program it offers to MBNA members and offer it at a discount?

Mark Harrison: We’ve scaled our services by investing in digital platforms. This allows us to offer a lower price point for retail shops compared to large production facilities. We also now offer translations in Spanish and French. We work in all 50 states and Canada.

While we can do on-site visits, we’ve found that virtual audits provide excellent information at a lower cost. We provide a 100-point checklist, and then we ask the shop owner to take specific videos of their facility so we can evaluate the risks without the travel expense.

Building a Safety Culture

Mike Johns: How does compliance go beyond "checking boxes" to help build a company culture?

Mark Harrison: There’s a famous line from Peter Drucker: "Culture eats strategy for breakfast." We can provide the manuals and the training, but the leadership has to show up and say, "This matters." Employees need to be empowered to own their space. If a worker feels disempowered, they won't look out for one another.

Mike Johns: It’s critical to let employees know that finding pitfalls is a good thing, not a bad thing. They know the daily risks better than anyone.

Mark Harrison: Exactly. I have young kids, and it’s the same as safety in the home—transparency and communication are key.

The History of Risk: From Asbestos to Silica

Mike Johns: Those of us in the industry a long time understand risks better now than we did 50 years ago. I recently saw a show about old cigarette ads where they touted a "Micronite filter" for safety, but the filter was actually made of asbestos. They knew the dangers but turned a blind eye. Just because it was "okay" then doesn't make it okay today.

Mark Harrison: That’s happening now with silicosis. We know much more about it than we did 30 years ago. It is an irreversible disease.

Mike Johns: My dad was a stone cutter and died from COPD. I’m sure it was a combination of smoking and stone dust. Back then, guys smoked while tooling instead of wearing respirators. Safety measures take time and money, but they are pennies compared to the long-term cost of losing your health.

OSHA Fines and Violations

Mike Johns: Can you share examples of common violations and how costly they can be?

Mark Harrison: OSHA fines generally fall into three categories:

1. Serious Violations: These often start around $16,000.

2. Failure to Abate: If you don't fix a cited issue, they can charge you roughly $16,000 per day until it’s corrected.

3. Willful or Repeated Violations: These can reach up to $165,000 per violation.

If you get a citation, you have 15 days to respond. If you are proactive and show you are trying to do the right thing, OSHA will often meet you halfway and lower the fines. It doesn't matter if you are a "mom and pop" shop or a large facility; the rules apply to everyone, including contractors working under your roof.

Next Steps for 2026

Mike Johns: What steps should businesses take right now to stay safe?

Mark Harrison: Take the Free Monument Safety Checklist: We offer a free 20-minute checklist for MBNA members to see where their biggest risks are. You can also signup for any of our custom Monument safety plans which include everything you need to be in compliance OSHA or your local regulators.

• Use the Platform: Our system is a "no-login" learning management system. You give us your employee roster, they get a link, and they do their training. It also houses all your safety data sheets (SDS) electronically.

• Ongoing Support: If you get a letter from OSHA, we will write the response for you as a client.