Silicosis in a Countertop Fabricator — Texas, 2014

Details

• Journal Article:
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
• Personal Author:
  Friedman, Gary K. ; Harrison, Robert J. ; Bojes, Heidi K. ; Worthington, Karen A. ; Filios, Margaret S.
• Description:
  In May 2014, the Texas Department of State Health Services was notified of a case of silicosis with progressive massive fibrosis in a Hispanic male aged 37 years who worked for an engineered stone countertop company as a polisher, laminator, and fabricator. He was exposed to dust for 10 years from working with conglomerate or quartz surfacing materials containing 70%-90% crystalline silica. This is the first reported case of silicosis associated with exposure to quartz surfacing materials in North America. Health care providers need to be aware of quartz surfacing materials as a source of silica exposure, advise reassignment of patients with silicosis to jobs without silica dust exposure, and report cases to their state public health agency; in 2010, silicosis was reportable in 25 states. Employers are responsible for maintaining a safe workplace by measuring silica exposure, limiting access to areas where silica exposures are high, using effective methods to reduce exposure (e.g., wet methods, local exhaust ventilation, and use of personal protective equipment), providing medical examinations to workers with high exposures, and training workers about silica hazards and how to limit exposures. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Case Reports Dust Fibrosis Lung Diseases Manufacturing Industry Occupational Diseases Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Quartz Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Silicon Dioxide Silicosis

  More +
• Keywords:
  Surveillance programs; Respiratory system disorders; Silicosis; Silica dusts; Lung disease; Respirable dust; Occupational exposure; Occupational diseases; Dust exposure; Quartz dust; Stone processing; Fibrosis; Environmental control equipment; Environmental engineering; Case studies
• Source:
  MMWR 2015 Feb; 64(5):129-130
• Series:
  Weekly Report: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• ISSN:
  0149-2195
• Pubmed ID:
  25674996
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC4584690
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; New Jersey ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 6 ; OSHA Region 9 ; Texas ; West Virginia
• 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:
  2 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Rosenman, Kenneth D. ; Yeoman, Kristin
• Volume:
  64
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20045732
• Contact Point Address:
  Margaret Filios, MSc, Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC
• Email:
  mfilios@cdc.gov
• CAS Registry Number:
  Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• Performing Organization:
  Texas State Department of Health Services
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:855169d765b7e426f91e420dfdc360fc1d61a537881efb094f266872ac72994b6fdcb7919335a1afd1e59f0ba4a81ec2c920ba34a70ee9330556b2f03021dba1
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/55007/cdc_55007_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 105.61 KB ]