The Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued a safety alert on Tuesday and confirmed that the state recorded its first case of silicosis, an “incurable lung disease” that can lead to death, linked to exposure from stone countertops.
In a Tuesday press release, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced that it issued a safety alert to urge employers in the stone countertop fabrication business to provide better protection for workers to prevent exposure to silica dust, which can lead to silicosis.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health explained that a Hispanic man in his 40s was diagnosed with silicosis earlier this year after working for 14 years for two stone countertop fabrication and installation companies in the state. The department noted that the man’s work “involved cutting and
shaping quartz, granite, marble, and porcelain” and that he reported that the workplace at his first company was “very dusty,” wet methods of cutting were not used regularly, and he was only provided with thin masks to use while working.
According to Tuesday’s safety alert, the man diagnosed with silicosis experienced a cough and shortness of breath after working in the industry for roughly 10 years. Four years later, he was diagnosed with the incurable lung disease, which the Massachusetts Department of Public Health described as a “preventable, yet incurable and progressive lung disease caused by inhaling crystalline silica, which is found naturally in granite and other stones.”
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Tuesday’s press release explained that silicosis has become “more prevalent” in the stone fabrication industry due to the increasing popularity of countertops created from engineered stone, such as quartz. The press release noted that quartz contains “significantly more silica” than other stones.
“The confirmation of this case in Massachusetts is a tragic reminder that silicosis is not just a distant threat,” Emily H. Sparer-Fine, the director of the department’s Occupational Health Surveillance Program, said. “It is here, and it is seriously impacting the health of workers in Massachusetts.”
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health noted that there is a “long latency period” experienced between the exposure to silica dust and the development of silicosis.
“Silicosis is an often disabling and sometimes fatal disease that is characterized by scarring of the lungs. Early symptoms include an irritating cough, mucus, and shortness of breath,” the department stated. “As the disease progresses, people may have difficulty breathing and can experience fatigue, chest pain, leg swelling, and blueish lips. Silicosis increases the risk for other lung diseases, such as lung cancer and tuberculosis.”
Tuesday’s press release explained that while there is currently no cure for the lung disease, exposure to silica dust can be “minimized” by employers implementing “proper workplace controls” to protect their employees.
