Nearly 600 workers in California’s engineered-stone countertop industry have been diagnosed with silicosis since 2019, due to the health risks posed by exposure to respirable crystalline silica during the cutting, grinding and polishing of artificial-stone slabs.
About Silicosis:
It is a respiratory disease which causes a hardening of the lungs.
Causes:
It is caused by silica dust or silica crystals, which are found in soil, sand, concrete, mortar, granite, and artificial stone.
It is common in construction, mining, oil and gas extraction, kitchen engineering, dentistry, pottery, and sculpting.
People working in these industries are often exposed to silica every day and are at higher risk of developing silicosis as a result.
The main symptoms of silicosis are: a persistent cough, persistent shortness of breath weakness, and tiredness, etc.
Types of Silicosis:
Chronic silicosis results from long-term exposure (more than 20 years) to low amounts of silica dust.
The silica dust causes swelling in the lungs and chest lymph nodes. This disease may cause people to have trouble breathing.
This is the most common form of silicosis.
Accelerated silicosis occurs after exposure to larger amounts of silica over a shorter period of time (3 to 10 years).
Swelling in the lungs and symptoms occur faster than in simple silicosis.
Acute silicosis results from short-term exposure to very large amounts of silica.
The lungs become very inflamed and can fill with fluid, causing severe shortness of breath and a low blood oxygen level.
Treatment: Silicosis is a progressive disease and has no cure.
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