Silicosis – Illinois [1980]

Details

• Journal Article:
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  The recent diagnosis of silicosis in several workers at 2 specialized silica mining and processing mills in southern Illinois prompted an environmental and medical survey by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in July 1979. Both companies mine microcrystalline quartz (silica) and process this material by drying and milling. The resulting product, "silica flour," consists of fine particles, 99% of which are <10 micrometers (microm) in diameter (i.e., they are respirable). The material is bagged and distributed internationally for use as industrial and toothpaste abrasives, paint extenders, fillers for cosmetics, and other manufactured products. Silica-dust levels in the air measured between 1973 and 1979 were available from the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). At both facilities, the mean silica-dust level for each of more than a dozen inspections was >5 times the MSHA-mandated threshold limit value (TLV), the legally enforceable standard. The NIOSH investigation revealed the dust to be essentially 100% crystalline silica, with a mean particle diameter of 2.3 to 5.2 microm. Seventy-seven of 91(85%) dust samples exceeded the NlOSH-recommended silica-dust standard of 0.05 mg/m3. Many were between 10 and several hundred times the recommended standards. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Dust Environmental Exposure Minerals Mining Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Quartz Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Silicon Dioxide Surveys And Questionnaires

  More +
• Keywords:
  Silica; Silica dusts; Silicosis; Crystalline silica; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory system disorders; Quartz; Quartz dust; Workers; Occupational exposure; Mining; Mineral processing; Silicon dioxide; Exposure assessment; Exposure levels; Exposure limits; Recommended Exposure Limits; RELs; Mine Safety and Health Administration; MSHA; Threshold limit values; TLV; Health surveys; Health standards; Respirable dust; Pulmonary function tests; Standards; Dust exposure; Regulations; Dust sampling; Dust measurement; Silicate miners
• Series:
  Weekly Report: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• ISSN:
  0149-2195 (print) ; 1545-861X (digital)
• Publisher:
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (U.S.)
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Illinois ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DRDS - Division of Respiratory Disease Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  4 pdf pages
• Volume:
  29
• Issue:
  18
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20054679
• Citation:
  MMWR 1980 May; 29(18):205-206
• CAS Registry Number:
  Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7) ; Silica (CAS RN 7631-86-9)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1980
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:632141b54eb904bd40a889ce9de9cb1ab0231c19982675dfcd3323eb4f9248049ad2cbf47ea76568253430a9c7ab315c67661423ed575cfeac2d8530acfa366f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/248504/cdc_248504_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 359.50 KB ]