Silicosis – The Dust Disease Caused by Crystalline Silica
Silicosis is irreversible, incurable, and completely preventable.
Breathing respirable crystalline silica (RCS) can kill.
Breathing respirable crystalline silica (RCS) can kill.
What is Silicosis?
Silicosis is a permanent lung disease caused by inhaling very fine particles of crystalline silica dust (respirable crystalline silica, RCS, particles smaller than ~5–10 μm). These particles scar the lungs, leading to fibrosis and severe breathing problems.
Three Main Forms of Silicosis
| Type | Exposure Needed | Onset | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic (Simple) | 10–20+ years moderate exposure | 10–30 years | Small lung nodules; many remain asymptomatic for decades |
| Accelerated | 5–10 years higher exposure | 5–15 years | Faster and more severe than chronic |
| Acute (Silicoproteinosis) | Very high exposure (months to ≤2 years) | Weeks to 5 years | Lungs fill with fluid; often fatal within a few years |
High-Risk Jobs & Activities (2025)
- Artificial stone / engineered stone benchtop cutting (very common now>
- Stone masonry, granite & sandstone work
- Sandblasting & abrasive blasting
- Mining, tunnelling, quarrying
- Foundry work
- Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) sand handling
- Concrete drilling, grinding, cutting
Important: Only crystalline silica (quartz, cristobalite, tridymite) causes classic silicosis.
Amorphous silica (fused silica, glass, uncalcined diatomaceous earth) is far less dangerous.
Amorphous silica (fused silica, glass, uncalcined diatomaceous earth) is far less dangerous.
Symptoms
- Shortness of breath (first on exertion, later at rest)
- Persistent dry cough
- Fatigue and weakness
- Chest pain
- In advanced cases: respiratory failure, right-heart failure
Complications
- Tuberculosis (silico-tuberculosis)
- Lung cancer (IARC Group 1 carcinogen)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Kidney disease
There is no cure for silicosis.
Prevention is the only solution.
Prevention of Silicosis
Prevention is the only solution.
Prevention of Silicosis
100 % possible with correct controls (2025 standards)
Silicosis is completely preventable. Every new case today is a failure of prevention.
Hierarchy of Controls (Most → Least Effective)
1. Elimination / Substitution (Best solution)
• Use silica-free or low-silica abrasives (garnet, steel grit, aluminium oxide)
• Choose engineered stone with <1 % crystalline silica (new products available 2024–2025)
• Pre-cast concrete elements instead of on-site cutting
• Use silica-free or low-silica abrasives (garnet, steel grit, aluminium oxide)
• Choose engineered stone with <1 % crystalline silica (new products available 2024–2025)
• Pre-cast concrete elements instead of on-site cutting
2. Engineering Controls (Must be the primary defence)
- Wet cutting / wet drilling (reduces dust >90 %)
- On-tool local exhaust ventilation (LEV) with H-class vacuum
- Enclosed cabs with HEPA-filtered air (excavators, road profilers)
- Water spray or misting systems on crushers and conveyors
- Automated robotic stone-cutting cells (increasingly common in 2025)
3. Administrative Controls
• Limit time in dusty areas (job rotation)
• Housekeeping with wet methods or HEPA vacuums only (never dry sweeping)
• Mandatory training and competency certification
• Health surveillance (spirometry + chest X-ray every 1–3 years)
• Limit time in dusty areas (job rotation)
• Housekeeping with wet methods or HEPA vacuums only (never dry sweeping)
• Mandatory training and competency certification
• Health surveillance (spirometry + chest X-ray every 1–3 years)
4. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Last resort only
• Correctly fitted half-face or full-face P2/P3 respirators, or powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR)
• Mandatory fit-testing (quantitative or qualitative) every year
• Clean-shaven policy for tight-fitting masks
• Correctly fitted half-face or full-face P2/P3 respirators, or powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR)
• Mandatory fit-testing (quantitative or qualitative) every year
• Clean-shaven policy for tight-fitting masks
2025 Global Exposure Limits (Respirable Crystalline Silica)
| Country / Region | 8-hour Limit (μg/m³) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| USA (OSHA) | 50 | Action level 25 μg/m³ |
| European Union | 100 | Many countries moving to 50 |
| Australia | 50 | Reduced from 100 in 2020 |
| UK | 100 | HSE pushing for 50 |
| Canada (most provinces) | 25 | Strictest in world |
Industry-Specific Best Practices (2025)
- Engineered stone benchtop fabrication → full water-fed tools + LEV + enclosed wet booths + PAPR
- Tunnelling & mining → roadheader with water sprays + cabin HEPA + real-time dust monitors
- Construction → on-tool shrouds + M-class or H-class vacuums for all chasing & drilling
Dry cutting, grinding, or sandblasting of silica-containing materials without controls is banned or heavily restricted in most countries in 2025.
Quick Checklist for Any Workplace
- ☐ Have we substituted or can we eliminate crystalline silica?
- ☐ Are all tools water-fed or connected to H-class extraction?
- ☐ Are real-time dust monitors used?
- ☐ Is health surveillance (lung function + X-ray) in place?
- ☐ Are respirators fit-tested and workers trained?