About silicosis
What causes Silicosis?
Silicosis is a long term health condition which develops by inhaling large amounts of crystalline silica dust over many years.
It is unlikely that a one off exposure to silica dust will cause silicosis but even breathing in small amounts of dust can cause irritation and inflammation to your lungs. For this reason, it is important to wear appropriate protective equipment when carrying out any dusty work.
Symptoms of silicosis
Silicosis symptoms take a long time to develop so you may not see problems until after you have stopped working with silica dust. The main symptoms to watch are:
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Persistent cough
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Persistent shortness of breath
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Weakness and tiredness
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Difficulty walking or climbing stairs
It is a progressive condition and symptoms can worsen over time, especially if you smoke or continue to be exposed to dust.
Changes to your lungs caused by silica dust may be visible on scans or x-rays before symptoms start to develop.
What is silica?
Silica is a common substance in construction products like bricks, tiles and mortar. Found in materials such as stone, sand and clay, the amount of silica in these materials varies with quartz and sandstone containing up to 95% silica content.
When these materials are cut, drilled or ground they produce respirable crystalline silica (RCS) also known as silica dust. This fine dust can be a great risk to your health when inhaled over time, even in small amounts.
Main types of silicosis
There is no 'safe' level of silica dust exposure. The more silica dust you are exposed to, the more likely you are to develop silicosis and the sooner you are likely to develop symptoms of silicosis.
There are three main types of silicosis:
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Chronic silicosis is the most common type of silicosis, which usually develops after 10 or more years of exposure to silica dust.
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Accelerated silicosis happens when you have heavy exposure to silica dust over a period of up to five years.
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Acute silicosis is a rare form of silicosis caused by intense exposure to silica dust over a short period of time.
Silicosis is a progressive condition and can develop into Progressive Massive Fibrosis (PMF), which is a potentially fatal condition of the lungs. You might suffer from breathlessness resulting in significant disability.
What jobs cause silicosis?
Workplace exposure limits are set to keep dust levels low enough to minimise the chances of developing the disease since silica dust has a dose-response relationship This means the more exposure you have the more likely symptoms will develop in a shorter time, and the more likely you are to have severe complications.
Some of the main jobs which can cause the condition:
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Construction
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Demolition
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Stone Masonry and Cutting
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Foundry work
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Mining
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Quarrying
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Brick and tile work
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Worktop manufacture and fitting
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Working with engineered stone, such as quartz and marble
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Fitting fire surrounds
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Paving
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Sand Blasting
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Pottery and Ceramics
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Glass Manufacturing
Silica is the biggest risk to construction workers after asbestos.
What makes silicosis worse?
There is no safe level of silica dust exposure.
The more silica dust you breathe in, the more likely you are to develop silicosis and other related lung disease. If diagnosed you should also avoid smoking as this can cause further damage to the lungs.
There are legal limits on the amount of silica dust you can be exposed to in the workplace. Employers must ensure that their employees are exposed to less than 0.1mg/m³ respirable dust, averaged over an 8 hour period.
FAQs
Can cutting concrete cause silicosis?
Yes, concrete contains aggregates such as sand, gravel and stone which can release silica dust when cut.
Do I need to worry about silica gel packets?
No, as silicosis is caused by breathing silica dust into the lungs.
Should I worry I have a silica worktop?
As silicosis is caused by breathing in dust, worktops in your house are safe as long as you ensure they are not broken, damaged or cut. Worktop fitters who cut and fit these materials daily can be at risk of silicosis.
Can plasterboard dust cause silicosis?
Plasterboard may contain silica dust. As dust of any type can cause damage to the lungs, appropriate protective equipment should be worn when working with this material.