Boston — Massachusetts’ first documented case of silicosis in a stone countertop fabrication worker has spurred the state’s Department of Public Health to urge employers in the industry to protect workers from silica dust exposure.
Silicosis is a severe and incurable – but preventable – lung disease caused by breathing in respirable crystalline silica. Processes such as cutting, polishing and grinding stone can generate silica dust, which can cause silicosis if breathed into the lungs.
According to a DPH health alert, the state’s first confirmed case associated with occupational exposure in the industry was diagnosed last year in a man in his 40s who, for the past 14 years, worked for stone countertop fabrication and installation companies.
The worker said he spent 10 years with one company in a job that entailed cutting and shaping quartz, granite, marble and porcelain. His employer provided only thin surgical masks to wear in a “very dusty” environment in which wet cutting methods weren’t routinely used.
In 2016, OSHA updated its rules relevant to silicosis by requiring ventilation and other methods to limit exposure to respirable silica dust.
DPH’s recommendations for employers:
- Use effective dust control methods, such as wet cutting or proper dust collection systems.
- Make sure fabrication work takes place in well-ventilated areas.
- Follow housekeeping practices that minimize dust in the air, such as wet sweeping or using a HEPA-filtered vacuum (instead of dry sweeping).
- Periodically assess the levels of silica dust in the workplace.
- Enroll workers in a medical surveillance program that includes periodic exams by a qualified health care provider.
- Develop and implement a written exposure control plan.
- Train employees in their preferred language on health effects associated with silica dust and related control methods as part of a hazard communication program.
- Provide workers with appropriate respirators based on the task and ensure they’re used correctly with an accompanying respiratory protection program.
The alert features links to a corresponding resource for each recommendation listed.
