Silicosis Injury

Silicosis injury results from the inhalation of toxic crystalline silica dust. Silica is one of the most common elements on earth; therefore, exposure to silica is difficult to avoid. This is especially true for those who work in mining, rock drilling, sandblasting and other jobs that involve the creation of dust clouds that potentially contain crystalline silica dust particles. There is no cure for silicosis, and the disease tends to continue to progress even after exposure to silica dust is eliminated. There are a few types of silicosis and some treatments do exist, although the only defense against silicosis is the eradication of dangerous levels of silica dust exposure.

» Types of Silicosis
» Silicosis Symptoms
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Types of Silicosis - Chronic, Accelerated & Acute Silicosis

Chronic Silicosis

Chronic silicosis is the most common form of silicosis injury. Sometimes called simple chronic silicosis, this form of the disease typically develops after more than 10 to 20 years of relatively low levels of exposure. Since this form of the disease is caused by long-term exposure, symptoms and discovery of chronic silicosis may take up 45 years after initial exposure. Symptoms of chronic silicosis are commonly revealed in a chest X-ray after 20 years of silica exposure.

Chronic silicosis leads to the formation of nodules of chronic inflammation caused by the constant irritation and reaction of the body's immune system to foreign silica particles. Eventually, scarring forms in the affected areas of the lungs. Damage caused by chronic silicosis has a tendency to cause weakness in the lungs' ability to fight infection. Those with chronic silicosis tend to develop other lung illnesses. In time, chronic silicosis can lead to failure of the respiratory system and death.

Accelerated Silicosis

Accelerated silicosis is the most rare form of silicosis injury. In some ways, it fits in between chronic and acute forms of silicosis as it usually takes between 5 to 15 years for accelerated silicosis to develop. Typically accelerated silicosis ensues after shorter-term exposure to higher levels of crystalline silica dust. Similar symptoms of scarring and inflammation progress faster in accelerated silicosis than chronic silicosis. Accelerated silicosis usually leads to death within a few years of its development.

Acute Silicosis

Acute silicosis is the quickest developing silicosis injury. Acute silicosis can develop only weeks after extremely high levels of silica dust exposure. In other cases, acute silicosis takes up to five years to develop. In either case, acute silicosis does not progress to the chronic stages, as acute silicosis causes massive lung damage in a short period of time. Hope for patients with acute silicosis is typically limited to a lung transplant. This is usually only possible in younger acute silicosis patients that are still strong enough to undergo the surgery.

Acute silicosis is characterized by high levels of fluid and protein particles in the lungs. This material fills the sacs in the lungs and leads to extreme difficult breathing, shortness of breath, and respiratory failure. Acute silicosis is associated with severe weight loss and is often found in sandblasters.

Silicosis Symptoms

Silicosis diminishes lung function with severe damage to lung tissue caused by the formation of large amounts of fibrous scar tissue in the lungs. This scar tissue destroys air and blood passageways, decreasing lung capacity and available oxygen to the body. Symptoms of silicosis include:

» Shortness of breath
» Severe, chronic often dry, cough
» Loss of appetite
» Weight loss
» Fever
» Chest Pains
» Breathing difficulty
» Coughing up blood
» Problems sleeping
» Hoarseness

Silicosis Treatment

Treatment for silicosis injury is limited. Since there is no cure for the disease, there is no specific treatment for silicosis. Physicians often focus on maintaining patient comfort and slowing the progression of silicosis.

The first step in slowing the progression of the disease is to eliminate the patient's exposure to toxic crystalline silica dust. Once silica exposure is eliminated, the silicosis patient is encouraged to quit smoking (if he or she smokes) and to eliminate as many sources of respiratory irritation as possible. Cough suppression drugs, breathing aids and oxygen may all be used to help silicosis injury patients breathe easier. Silicosis injury patients are closely watched to make sure they don't develop infections. Since the silicosis patient's immune system is typically weak, he or she can develop lung infections very easily. Close monitoring allows such infections to be quickly treated.

Silicosis patients are routinely tested for tuberculosis because one of the major side effects of silicosis is the development of tuberculosis. In advanced cases of silicosis that cause severe lung damage, a lung transplant may be the only viable treatment.

Silicosis Prevention

Since silicosis is an irreversible lung disease, the only way to decrease instances of silicosis injury is to limit instances of silica exposure. Fortunately, silicosis injury is completely preventable. There are certain preventative measures that can be taken to keep crystalline silica dust from being inhaled. Most of these safety measures focus on limiting the amount of crystalline silica dust that gets airborne.

In instances of sandblasting, products that do not contain silica in the abrasive sand should be substituted. This can significantly decrease exposure levels. Even when using non-silica-containing abrasives, sandblasters should use respiration equipment and protective clothing as many products that are being cleaned or prepared in the sandblasting process may contain silica. If possible, sandblasting should be done in a sandblasting cabinet to prevent the rapid spread of crystalline silica dust.

Dangerous areas and silica containing areas should be inspected and identified before working in any areas that may contain silica. Workers should be educated on the dangers and facts of crystalline silica dust exposure and proper prevention methods. They should also be given proper equipment and protective clothing. Wet cutting and drilling methods should be employed to keep crystalline silica dust at safe levels.

Medical exams should be made available for workers that are at high risk for exposure. Often times when a worker is diagnosed with silicosis, his or her coworkers tend to develop silicosis as well.

There are many other safety precautions that should be taken that are job specific. All of these precautions are aimed at keeping silica exposure to absolute minimums and catching the disease at an early stage. All companies that work with silica should employ silicosis-prevention safety precautions. If you have worked around silica and have developed silicosis because of unsafe working conditions, contact the silicosis lawyers.