CRYSTALLINE SILICA EXPOSURE CONTROL
INTRODUCTION
Silica is the second most common mineral on earth, found in the common form as “sand” and “rock”. Silica is the compound formed from the elements silicon (Si) and oxygen (O) and has a molecular form of SiO
2. The three main forms or ‘polymorphs’ of silica are alpha quartz, cristobalite and tridymite. The polymer most abundant and most hazardous to human health is alpha quartz, and is commonly referred to as crystalline silica.
Health Hazards Associated with Silica Exposure
The health hazards of silica come from breathing in the dust. If crystalline silica becomes airborne through industrial activities, exposures to fine crystalline silica dust (specifically exposure to the size fraction that is considered to be respirable) can lead to a disabling, sometimes fatal disease called silicosis. The fine particles are deposited in the lungs, causing thickening and scarring of the lung tissue. The scar tissue restricts the lungs’ ability to extract oxygen from the air. This damage is permanent, but the symptoms of the diseases may not appear for many years. As noted in the following Figure, (respirable) silica dust is very small, and is not visible to the human eye.
A worker may develop any of three types of silicosis, depending on the concentration of silica dust and the duration of the exposure:
- Chronic Silicosis: Develops after 10 or more years of exposure to crystalline silica and relatively low concentrations.
- Accelerated Silicosis: Develops 5 to 10 years after initial exposure to crystalline silica at high concentrations.
- Acute Silicosis: Develops within weeks, or 4 to 5 years, after exposure to very high concentrations of crystalline silica.
Initially, workers with silicosis may have no symptoms; however, as the disease progresses, workers may experience:
- Shortness of Breath.
- Severe Cough.
These symptoms can worsen over time and lead to death. Exposure to silica has also been linked to other diseases, including bronchitis, tuberculosis, and lung cancer.
