Silica dust particles can travel deep into the lungs causing permanent damage that can lead to serious illness or death. Diseases associated with silica exposure are called ‘silica-related diseases.’
Silica dust particles can travel deep into the lungs when inhaled and lead to a range of respiratory diseases, including:
- acute, accelerated, and chronic silicosis
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis
- lung cancer.
These diseases are collectively called silica-related diseases or SRDs. Damage to the lungs from silica dust may not appear for many years.
Silicosis
Silicosis is a debilitating and often fatal occupational lung disease caused by the inhalation of silica dust particles. It is entirely preventable.
There are 3 kinds of silicosis: acute, accelerated and chronic. The type of exposure and the length of time a person is exposed will affect the type of silicosis which may develop. Genetics factors will also have an impact.
- Acute silicosis, associated with very high intensity exposure and may present within a range of weeks to 5 years from the time of initial exposure
- Accelerated silicosis develops within 10 years of moderate to high level exposure
- Chronic silicosis occurs after 10 or more years typically at a low to moderate exposure dose. Chronic silicosis includes simple and complicated forms.
Other silica-related diseases
Silica dust also increases an individual’s risk of developing chronic kidney disease, autoimmune disorders, and other adverse health effects including increased risk of activating latent tuberculosis, as well as fungal infections, eye irritation and eye damage.
Some examples of these diseases include:
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Sarcoidosis
- Lung cancer
- Pulmonary tuberculosis
- Chronic renal disease
- Rheumatoid arthritis