Silicosis

Silicosis is a respiratory disease that plagues people who inhale fine silica dust. The disease inflames and scars lung tissue, and increases the risk of tuberculosis. Popularly known as black lung, the disease has traditionally impacted miners who breathed in coal mine dust. However, silicosis also affects workers in other industries who face continued dust exposure, including those in quarrying, masonry, foundry work, glassmaking and ceramics production. In addition, while workers who are exposed to dust for decades are at highest risk of silicosis, workers who have inhaled silica dust can die after just a few months of exposure.

Silicosis once constituted a national health emergency. Between 1968 and 2002, silicosis caused or contributed to more than 16,000 deaths. In 1968, 1,157 persons died from silica-related causes. However, in 2002, only 148 persons died from such causes. The development of OSHA and related regulations that required protective equipment and the posting of notices primarily contributed to this decline.

Although silica-related deaths have dramatically decreased, silica exposure remains widespread. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 1993, over 120,000 workers reached or exceeded the recommended exposure limits to silica dust. Of these, 38.2% worked in research and testing services, 16.8% in masonry, 10.1% in heavy (non-highway) construction, and 7.1% in iron and steel foundries. Other industries with a heightened risk of silica exposure include painting and paper hanging, structural clay products, metal services, and stone cutting.

Major Types of Silicosis

Workers exposed to small quantities of silica dust for over two decades may develop simple chronic silicosis. Persons with simple chronic silicosis may experience breathlessness from their inflamed or scarred lung tissue. This disease also causes the formation of nodules in lungs and chest lymph nodes.

Workers exposed to larger quantities of silica dust over a more compressed time period (less than 15 years) may develop accelerated silicosis. Scarring, inflammation and breathlessness occur quicker than in the simple form of silicosis.

Workers exposed to very high quantities of silica dust in a short period of time may develop acute silicosis. In this form, the silica dust highly inflames the lungs. If fluids build up in the lungs, this compromises the victims ability to breathe and can yield low blood oxygen. Progressive massive fibrosis, which most commonly arises in acute silicosis, can destroy the structure of the lungs.

What to Do

Workers in high-risk occupations should take all necessary precautions to avoid inhaling silica dust by wearing protective clothing, using respirators, suppressing dust, and ensuring adequate ventilation. Those who develop symptoms of silicosis, like a chronic cough and shortness of breath, should consult with their doctor, obtain a chest x-ray, test their pulmonary functions, and screen for tuberculosis.

Doctors believe that silica compromises the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the infectious agent that causes tuberculosis. Because persons with silicosis have a higher susceptibility to tuberculosis, they should annual skin tests for tuberculosis and seek treatment with antibiotics if their tests return a positive result.

If you suspect that you have suffered harm as a result of exposure to silica dust, contact an attorney to help you determine your legal rights.