“The alarming rise of severe silicosis-related illness and deaths among stone countertop workers in the San Fernando Valley prompted me to act quickly.”
Researchers from UCLA and UC San Francisco reported last year that about 52 artificial stone workers were diagnosed with silicosis in California — and of those 52 cases, 51 were Latino immigrants. Most were diagnosed between 2019 and 2022. Twenty of the patients had advanced disease at diagnosis, and 10 died. Their median age was 45 years old, with an average work history of 15 years.
Silica is in many things and widely used everywhere, apart from the obvious dusty trades,sandblasters ,stonemasons,bricklayers,plasters,roofers,painters and decorators, demolition workers frackers ,miners, quarrymen and highway workers.
Plumbers,electricians,refractory workers ,military personnel,tech workers ,lorry and machine drivers ,jewelers ,dental technicians ,farmers,foundry workers,glass workers,horse trainers,potters,metal grinders ,greenhouse gardeners and even teachers of old have been known to succumb to the masons cough ( Which was once known as Potters Rot )and/or one or more of the myriad of silica associated diseases .
( My apologies if I missed anyone out )
Unfortunately there is no known or quantifiable safe occupational limit for silica exposure (Despite what the corporately owned politicians and regulators quote as fact ) and respirators are only supposed to be used as the very last resort ,none are 100% efficient ,they all leak ,hence the coding .