Silicosis: Diagnosis and Medicolegal Implications

Details

• Personal Author:
  Anderson H ; Brooks EG ; Bukovitz B ; Meiman J ; Anderson H ; Brooks EG ; Bukovitz B ; Meiman J
• Description:
  Despite well-publicized sources of occupational hazard, silicosis continues to threaten industrial workers in the United States. We performed a retrospective search of the University of Wisconsin electronic pathology database to retrieve autopsy cases of silicosis and collaborated with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to obtain statewide epidemiologic data regarding silicosis morbidity/mortality since 2003. Three silicosis autopsy cases were retrieved: all were men with ≥ 30 years of occupational crystalline silica exposure and similar histologic features of collagenous pulmonary nodules with admixed refractile particles. Overall, our state exceeds the national rate of silicosis-related hospitalizations and mortality, that is, 10.1 hospitalizations per million WI residents versus 1.2 nationally and 1.2 deaths per million WI residents versus 0.4 nationally. Surveillance is crucial to identify emerging occupational hazards and protect workers. A diagnosis of silicosis must be carefully considered at autopsy since it carries substantial implications for worker's compensation, compensatory losses, and employer liability. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Autopsy Epidemiology Mortality Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Pathology Pneumoconiosis Safety Silicon Dioxide Silicosis
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Forensic Pathology Autopsies Crystalline Silica Forensic Science Industrial Exposures Mortality Rates Occupational Diseases Pneumoconiosis Surveillance Workers' Compensation Workers Compensation

  More +
• ISSN:
  0022-1198
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article ; Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 5 ; Wisconsin
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health ; Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America ; North America
• Volume:
  64
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20066549
• Citation:
  J Forensic Sci 2019 Sep; 64(5):1389-1398
• Contact Point Address:
  Erin G. Brooks M.D., School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, 750 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, 53726
• Email:
  egbrooks@wisc.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7) ; Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• Performing Organization:
  Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Madison
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20150701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Forensic Sciences
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:358cf0ba9248b72839ffd14c55c26484e67c54ea6cbab7a97bce534df6a02208246bfd12f0e46066bcb0119ce395503d9f8b82dc00f0acd302ddbedd0a5ef25b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/231119/cdc_231119_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 7.05 MB ]