Silicosis – Lung Disease and Silicosis

The general term used for lung disease caused by the inhalation of silica dust is: pneumoconiosis. The inhalation of silica dust in the workplace leads to silicosis, which can eventually lead to death by inducing tuberculosis, emphysema, bronchitis and even lung cancer. Although many workers can be exposed to silica dust in the workplace, sandblasters carry the highest risk of developing silicosis.

Depending on the level and length of exposure to silica dust, there are three levels of silicosis that workers can develop: chronic silicosis (develops after 10 or more years of exposure), accelerated silicosis (develops after 5 to 10 years of high exposure) and acute silicosis (develops within several weeks, after extremely high exposure). The most common form of silicosis is chronic silicosis and, due to its mild symptoms, it may go undetected for many years. Severe signs of the illness may not be detected until 20 years after exposure, by which time it is too late to cure.

However, it has been shown that workers who have been exposed to silica dust are often also exposed to asbestos as well. Prolonged exposure to asbestos can lead to other lung diseases besides silicosis, and in some cases lead to a rare lung disease called mesothelioma.

Although the time scale between exposure and symptoms can be several years, cases have been brought against employers or former employers for negligence in preventing this disease. If you feel that you have contracted silicosis as a result of unreasonable exposure to dust, or as a result of a company’s failure to take proper precautions and warn its employees on correct safety procedure, you may have a case against them for compensation.