Small, ever-present, and potentially deadly, silica is present in a large portion of the earth’s crust. Silicate minerals are sand particles that also exist in concrete, rocks, bricks, and many other construction materials. Cutting, breaking, and sandblasting release small silica particles into the air, and inhaling them may cause irreversible lung damage and death.
Experts in the United States and elsewhere have documented the danger of breathable substances. For instance, most people have been aware of the devastating effect of inhaling asbestos for decades. Furthermore, asbestos litigation is perhaps the most pervasive personal injury topic in U.S. legal history. To this day, compensation attorneys litigate asbestos cases and will continue for years.
What Is Silicosis?
Like asbestos, silica damages the lungs and causes debilitating symptoms. Breathing excessive amounts causes silicosis, a progressive lung disease resulting in swelling and other damage to lung tissue. Long-term silicosis can eventually cause suffocation and contribute to other conditions:
- Lung cancer
- Obstructive pulmonary disease
- Renal disease
There is currently no cure for silicosis, but it can be prevented. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides rules for permissible exposure limits (PEL) to silica, which are not to exceed 50 micrograms of silica per cubic meter of air over an eight-hour workday. OSHA stipulates additional regulations to safeguard workers:
- Limit access to areas that exceed the PELs for silica.
- Protect workers from excessive silica exposure with dust controls and other methods.
- Provide respirators to workers when normal controls do not protect workers from exposure exceeding the silica PELs.
- Provide and carry out a written plan for controlling exposure to silica and protecting workers, which includes training workers.
- Offer medical examinations every three years and keep records of exam results.
Workers have the right to report unsafe working conditions that expose them to unsafe levels of breathable silica. However, many employees fear that complaining about conditions will result in retaliation, even losing their jobs.
Get Legal Help If You Suffer from Silica Exposure
Even if you know the facts about silica exposure and its health risks, you still might have questions. If you think you have been exposed to unsafe silica levels or received inadequate equipment or safety training, contact a lawyer as soon as possible. With experienced legal advice from our personal injury attorneys in Cincinnati, you will feel more empowered to report your injuries and get the compensation you deserve.