Learn About Silicosis

Silicosis (sil-eh-KOH-sis) is a serious lung disease caused by breathing in tiny bits of silica, a mineral found in many types of rock, sand, and soil – usually over a long period of time. When silica dust is inhaled, it causes inflammation and permanent scarring in the lungs, especially around your air sacs and airways in your lungs, making it harder to breathe. 

Silicosis is also referred to as: 

• Chronic lung disease
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Interstitial or restrictive lung disease 
• Occupational lung disease

There is no cure for silicosis, but there are ways to manage symptoms.

Key Facts

• Approximately 2.3 million U.S. workers are exposed to silica in the workplace, including 2 million in construction and 300,000 in other industries.
• The number of people who develop silicosis has gone down overall with improved safety regulations. 

• An alarming number of people have been diagnosed over the past five years linked back to working with engineered stone products such as quartz or granite countertops, which create more silica dust than natural stone does. 

• Silicosis is not curable, but it is preventable.

How It Affects Your Body

When you breathe in air that also contains silica dust, you inhale tiny particles of the naturally occurring mineral silica. These tiny specks of dust travel down into your lungs and get trapped in your lung tissue.  The silica dust builds up over time and causes damage to the immune cells that act as a built-in protection for your lungs. Without these natural defenses, silica dust will start to cause lung inflammation that can lead to scarring in your lungs referred to as pulmonary fibrosis.

Silicosis develops in three ways:

• Chronic (long-term) silicosis: This is the most common type and usually develops after exposure to silica dust for more than ten years.
  • Simple silicosis is the most common type of chronic silicosis.
  • Progressive massive silicosis causes a lot of scarring.
• Accelerated silicosis: Typically develops within five to ten years due to heavy amounts of silica exposure.
• Acute (sudden) silicosis: Can occur within weeks or months after very high levels of exposure to silica.  

As the disease progresses, your lung capacity decreases. There is no cure for silicosis, and treatment can’t reverse damage to your lungs. Therapy goals for silicosis include prevention of future exposure and treatment of symptoms.

Who Is at Risk?

Silica is the most abundant mineral in the earth’s crust. Any activity or job that involves chipping, cutting, drilling, or grinding soil, granite, slate, sandstone, or other natural material can cause exposure to silica dust. 

Some high-risk occupations include:

Construction work during building or demolition: including jackhammering, rock drilling and chipping, tunneling, sandblasting, asphalt milling, cutting concrete or brick, and removal of paint or rust with power tools

• Stone countertop fabrication, especially using engineered stone such as quartz or granite
• Foundry work
• Pottery, ceramics or glassmaking
• Mining and hydraulic fracturing (fracking)
• Dry sweeping or pressurized air-blowing of concrete or dust
• Dentistry
• Highway or bridge construction or repair