1.7 Million Exposed To Silica

1.7 Million Exposed To Silica
Silicosis. Lung cancer. Tuberculosis. Renal disease.
Autoimmune disorders. It may sound like a litany of unfair
and terrifying illnesses, but it's worse - it's a list of
the potential side effects of silica exposure in the
workplace. And with 1.7 million workers facing industrial
silica exposure in a number of professions, it's of growing
concern to doctors and attorneys.

What Is Silica, Anyway?

More than just a benign dust, silica is actually the
world's second most common mineral. Present in mineral ore,
sand, and other rocks, silica comes in crystalline form and
can be easily inhaled and breathed through the lungs. The
presence of silica in inhalable dust poses the biggest
threat to workers, who experience the formation of scar
tissue in the lungs from prolonged silica exposure. Silica
can be found at many job sites, including:

* ceramics and pottery factories;

* glass factories;

* soap and detergent plants;

* construction sites, especially those engaged in
sandblasting, drilling and/or the use of jackhammers;

* foundries;

* mines;

* railroads and ship yards;

* stone work sites.

Silicosis - Industrial Killer

Silicosis kills more than 250 workers a year, but the
disease is 100 percent preventable with the proper safety
measures. The disease is especially dangerous because it
takes so long to manifest - up to 20 years in some workers.

Silicosis is a lung disease, so symptoms include shortness
of breath, chest pains, fever, loss of appetite, and a
severe cough. In addition, the presence of silica in the
lungs often causes an autoimmune disorder, leaving workers
more vulnerable to other lung ailments such as pneumonia
and tuberculosis. A thorough medical examination, including
chest X-ray, lung capacity testing and other modalities, is
needed for a complete silicosis diagnosis.

The three varieties of silicosis include chronic silicosis
(usually after a decade or more of exposure to silica
dust), acute silicosis (with high exposures; may develop
anywhere from weeks to five years after exposure), and
accelerated silicosis (developing over five to ten years).
The severity of silicosis in a given worker depends on the
level and repetition of the occupational exposure.

What Is Being Done?

OSHA and MSHA rules do apply to silica exposure at work
sites. OSHA has set an exposure limit that specifies the
maximum amount of permissible silica exposure during an
eight-hour shift.

In addition, OSHA and MSHA both require employers to
provide appropriate measures to prevent silica exposures.
These include, but are not limited to, proper record
keeping, providing respiratory protection devices to
workers, and posting appropriate warnings to workers who
may be exposed to silica dust in their jobs. It is
important for workers who work in dusty conditions to take
the proper precautions against silicosis and other
silica-related occupational diseases.

If you are suffering from a work-related illness from
silica exposure, seek the proper medical attention
immediately. Consult with an experienced silica attorney to
determine whether you have a case. You may be eligible to
recover monetary compensation and other damages in relation
to the effects of industrial silica exposure.

----------------------------------------------------
LegalView hosts an array of information portals on this and
many other legal issues. To learn more about silica, visit
http://silica.legalview.com/ . Or visit LegalView's
homepage and learn about the latest in traumatic brain
injury accident treatments, construction accident lawsuits
or the latest auto accident jury verdicts at
http://crash.legalview.com/ .