ABOUT SILICOSIS

Our Attorneys are committed to informing those who may be victims of silica exposure to help them find out more about silicosis, its causes, and high-risk occupations. If you have been diagnosed with silicosis, it is important to know your rights about silicosis lawsuits and litigation. Use the information below to learn about crystalline silica dust exposure and silicosis.

» What is Silicosis
» Dangerous Occupations
» Sandblasting / Silica Disease & Higher Risk Professions

What is Silicosis?

Silicosis is a pneumoconiosis, or lung disease, that is caused by the inhalation of toxic, carcinogenic crystalline silica dust particles. Silicosis is incurable and irreversible. Silica is a naturally occurring mineral that is found in quartz, granite, and other rocks. It is one of the most common minerals in the earth's crust, but it is only harmful when small particles of it are released into the air and inhaled. Unfortunately, many jobs require workers to use tools and equipment that introduce dangerous levels of crystalline silica dust into the air. Once silica dust is airborne, silica exposure is difficult to avoid, especially when working in tight areas with high levels of silica dust for prolonged periods.

Silicosis has affected miners and those who work around silica dust for hundreds of years. Once the crystalline silica dust is inhaled, it works its way into the lungs, where it leaves scarring that experts think may be caused by sharp edges of the tiny particles themselves. Silica exposure and silica disease often lead to other lung diseases as well. Some of these respiratory diseases and complications include: lung cancer, tuberculosis, fibrosis, bronchitis, and emphysema.

In cases of silicosis pneumoconiosis, the particles of crystalline silica dust irritate the tiny alveoli air sacs in the lungs. White blood cells then attack and surround the foreign particles, and then they die. The irritated area continues to cause white blood cells to further inflame the area. Eventually, fibrous, scar-like tissue surrounds the area and can cease the problem. Unfortunately, this fibrous tissue destroys the ability of the affected area to process oxygen. Often, the development of fibrous tissue doesn't stop and can spread throughout the lungs. Silica disease often continues to progress even after exposure to crystalline silica dust ceases. Often preventative measures can keep crystalline silica dust at safe levels, thus preventing the development of silicosis. In many cases this is the responsibility of the employer. Contact our silicosis attorneys to learn more about your rights if you have developed silicosis.

Dangerous Occupations

There are nearly two million workers in the United States with occupations that lead to crystalline silica dust exposure. Silicosis, or silica disease, is especially common among the workers whose occupations expose them to extremely high levels of crystalline silica dust for long durations. Some of the common occupations or types of workers at risk of silica disease due to crystalline silica dust exposure include:

» Sandblasting / Sandblasters
» Shipyard Workers
» Mining / Miners
» Foundry Workers
» Stonecutters
» Potters / Ceramic Workers
» Tunnel Workers
» Rock Drillers
» Road & Building Construction
» Glass Workers
» Quarry Workers

Sandblasting Disease, Silica Disease - Higher Risk Occupations

The following occupations are discussed in further detail because they pose the greatest risks of the pneumoconiosis silicosis, or silica disease. These occupations pose the highest crystalline silica dust exposure levels, are performed in poorly ventilated areas, and surround the worker in a cloud of silica dust for prolonged periods.

Sandblasting - Sandblasting Disease

There is a reason that silicosis is commonly referred to as sandblasting disease. Sandblasting is one of the highest risk occupations when it comes to silicosis and crystalline silica dust exposure. One of the main reasons is the high concentration of quartz or other high crystalline silica content minerals in the abrasive sands used in sandblasting operations. Roughly 5 percent, or 100,000, of the workers in the United States that are exposed to crystalline silica dust on the job are employed as sandblasters. Many other occupations involve sandblasting on a part-time basis.

Sandblasting is typically used to clean or remove anything from automobile paint to sand from foundry castings. Sand (often containing high crystalline silica concentration) is forced into a high-pressure stream with compressed air or steam and used as an abrasive agent for many types of cleaning and surface preparation jobs. Silica sand can break down to very small particles during sandblasting operations. This freshly ground silica dust tends to lead to the quicker-to-progress acute and accelerated forms of silicosis or sandblasting disease.

Studies have shown that many sandblasters have already died of silicosis or silica disease. Unfortunately, these studies also project that many more will likely die of sandblasting disease caused by inhalation of extremely dangerous levels of crystalline silica dust. Others will likely die of some of the complications related to silicosis, like lung cancer and tuberculosis.

Shipyard Workers

Shipyard workers face many of the same risks of developing the pneumoconiosis silicosis, or silica disease. This is because the cleaning, painting and repair of ships and vessels often involves sandblasting to prepare surfaces for new paint or to clean them. Shipyard workers are often required to use sandblasting equipment on large ships, which can increase crystalline silica dust exposure duration. Similar to sandblasters, shipyard workers are at an increased risk for silicosis silica disease.

Miners

Miners of metals, minerals and coal can all be potentially exposed to crystalline silica dust. Many rocks, like granite and quartz, have extremely high concentrations of crystalline silica that turns into dust when crushed, drilled or broken in the mining process. Even if the product being mined doesn't contain silica dust (metal ores, coal, etc.), many rocks that need to be drilled and moved in order to get to the deposits can, and often do, contain silica, therefore posing a threat of crystalline silica dust exposure and silica disease development. Miners are also considered at high risk because of the extreme amounts of dust created, tight workspaces and lack of ventilation present in many working conditions.

Silica exposure has been a problem for miners for hundreds of years. In fact, miners were some of the first workers who developed this occupational silica disease. Despite knowledge of the dangers of crystalline silica dust exposure and further knowledge of preventative safety measures, silicosis continues to kill miners and rock drillers every year. The death toll is expected to continue for years, if not rise, as pneumoconiosis silicosis injury, and chronic silicosis cases can take decades to develop. Contact our silicosis attorneys today to find out more about your legal rights regarding silicosis and crystalline silica dust exposure.

Coal Miner's Disease - Black Lung

Like silicosis, black lung is a lung disease that effects coal miners and others that work around large amounts of coal dust. Also called coal miner's pneumoconiosis, black lung is caused by the inhalation of coal dust particles. Black lung leads to a deterioration of lung tissue and eventually, respiration failure. Sometimes black lung is referred to as silicosis. Though many miners suffer from silicosis, as was noted above, black lung is different in that it denotes that the miner that has black lung contracted the disease from working in or around a coal mine. The symptoms of black lung are similar to those of silicosis, however, in addition to fibrous scar tissue build-up in the lungs, the carbon in coal dust actually turns lung tissue black. If you are a miner and have contracted black lung, please contact our silicosis attorneys today. We can provide you the help you deserve.