Pneumoconiosis

Pneumoconiosis is a group of interstitial lung diseases caused by the inhala#tion

of certain dusts and the lung tissue’s reaction to the dust. The principal
cause of the pneumoconiosis is workplace exposure. The primary pneumo#coniosis are
asbestosis, silicosis, and coal workers’ pneumoconiosis. As their
names imply, they are caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers, silica dust,
and coal mine dust. We have already discussed asbestos-related illnesses.
Therefore, we will discuss the remaining two in the following.18
Silica-Related Illnesses
As mentioned, silicosis is a pneumoconiosis illness. Complicated silicosis refers
to the development of PMF in which pulmonary nodules coalesce into larger
conglomerations. PMF has been observed to develop in a small percentage of
patients with simple chronic silicosis and a large percentage of patients with
accelerated silicosis. Accelerated silicosis is similar to simple silicosis, but
the
disease develops after a heavier exposure over a shorter period. The latency
is 2–5 years for accelerated silicosis, versus greater than 10 years for simple
silicosis. Accelerated silicosis follows a course of increasing dyspnea. Silicosis
is associated with an increased risk of autoimmune diseases.19
High-risk occupational exposures to silica are as follows:
• Blasting, drilling, removing, or crushing rock, concrete, or brick;
• Grinding or cutting tiles, stones, concrete, bricks, or terrazzo;
• Loading or dumping dusty rock, stone, or sand;
• Making products from silica powder/stone or other fibrogenic minerals;
• Use abrasives containing silica or silicon carbide;
• Use handheld saw or grinder to remove brick mortar.
The OSHA 8-h PEL is 50 µg/m3
, while the AL is 25 µg/m3.
Zinc-Related Illnesses
Zinc is a metal that is normally found in small amounts in nature. It is used in
many commercial industries and can be released into the environment during
mining and smelting (metal processing) activities. People living near smelters
232 Safety Professional’s Reference and Study Guide
or industries using zinc could be exposed to higher levels of zinc by drinking
water, breathing air, and touching soil that contains the metal. Exposure to
high levels of zinc over long periods may cause adverse health effects.
A short-term illness called metal fume fever can result if workers breathe
very high levels of zinc dust or fumes. This condition, which usually lasts
from 24 to 48 h, causes chills, fever, excessive sweating, and weakness.
Long-term effects of breathing zinc dust or fumes are not known.20
The current OSHA PEL for zinc oxide is 15 mg/m3 of air for total dust, and
5 mg/m3 for the respirable fraction as an 8-h TWA concentration (29 CFR
1910.1000, Table Z-l).
Aluminum-Related Illnesses
Aluminum dust is an eye and respiratory tract irritant in humans. Soluble
aluminum salts are irritants when inhaled as aerosols. Although inhalation
of aluminum powder of particle size 1.2 um, given over 10- or 20-min periods
several times weekly, resulted in no adverse health effects among thousands
of workers over several years, several other studies report X-ray evidence
of pulmonary fibrosis. Some patients on long-term hemodialysis develop
speech disorders, dementia, or convulsions. This syndrome is associated
with an increased concentration of aluminum in serum, brain, muscle, and
bone. There is some evidence that Alzheimer’s disease may be linked to alu#minum
content in the body. Analysis of the aluminum content in the brains
of persons dying from Alzheimer’s has shown increased levels, although
aluminum levels in the brain vary greatly. A second correlating factor is
that neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) have been identified in both aluminum
encephalopathy and Alzheimer’s disease. However, it has been shown that
the NFTs produced by the two conditions are structurally and chemically
different and that NFTs are present in several other neurological disorders.
It appears that the aluminum content of the brain is less an issue relating to
exposure to aluminum than an issue of a blood–brain barrier defect or com#promise
of some kind.21
High-risk occupational exposures to aluminum are as follows:
• The processing and transportation of aluminum;
• Melting or soldering of electrical transmission lines;
• Used in the construction, manufacturing, explosives, petrochemical,
and paper industries;
• Used in desalinization, cryogenic technology, permanent magnets,
and as a substitute for copper;
• Used in testing for gold, arsenic, and mercury;
• Used in sugar refining, alloying metals, as a chemical intermediate,
and in containers for fissionable reactor fuels.
Toxicology 233
The current OSHA PEL for aluminum is 15 mg/m3 of air for total dust and
5 mg/m3 for the respirable fraction, as an 8-h TWA concentration (29 CFR
1910.1000, Table Z-l).
Antimony-Related Illnesses
Antimony is a silvery-white metal that is found in the earth’s crust. Antimony
ores are mined and then mixed with other metals to form antimony alloys or
combined with oxygen to form antimony oxide.
Little antimony is currently mined in the United States. It is brought into
this country from other countries for processing. However, there are compa#nies in
the United States that produce antimony as a by-product of smelting
lead and other metals.
Antimony isn’t used alone because it breaks easily, but when mixed into
alloys, it is used in lead storage batteries, solder, sheet and pipe metal,
bear#ings, castings, and pewter. Antimony oxide is added to textiles and plastics
to prevent them from catching fire. It is also used in paints, ceramics, and
fireworks, and as enamels for plastics, metal, and glass.
Exposure to antimony at high levels can result in a variety of adverse
health effects. Breathing high levels for a long time can irritate your eyes
and lungs and can cause heart and lung problems, stomach pain, diarrhea,
vomiting, and stomach ulcers.
Ingesting large doses of antimony can cause vomiting. We don’t know what
other effects may be caused by ingesting it. Long-term animal studies have
reported liver damage and blood changes when animals ingested antimony.
Antimony can irritate the skin if it is left on it. Antimony can have beneficial
effects when used for medical reasons. It has been used as a medicine to treat
people infected with parasites.22
The OSHA has set an occupational exposure limit of 0.5 milligrams of
antimony per cubic meter of air (0.5 mg/m3
) for an 8-h work day, 40-h work#week. Exposure to antimony occurs in the workplace
or from skin contact
with soil at hazardous waste sites. Breathing high levels of antimony for a
long time can irritate the eyes and lungs and can cause problems with the
lungs, heart, and stomach.
Dust-Related Illnesses
Excessive dust in the workplace can be highly dangerous on a number of
levels. First, although rare, a cloud of concentrated dust is potentially
com#bustible and can, therefore, cause explosions so it’s important that companies
keep their working environments as relatively dust free as possible, so they
can avoid such potential catastrophes. However, the most common problem
associated with dust in the workplace arises from dust-related illnesses,
which have been one of the major occupational diseases identified.
234 Safety Professional’s Reference and Study Guide
Common Environments for Contracting Dust-Related Illnesses
All workplaces need to carry out cleaning duties and pay particular regard
to hygiene issues, and for the most part, in places such as an office for exam#ple,
dust should not present too much of a problem. However, there are many
industries that need to be especially vigilant. Here is a list of some of the
more common working environments where excess dust can create a real
problem.
• Mines and quarries—dust from coal, flint, and silica;
• Construction sites—dust from cement and asbestos;
• Farming and agriculture—dust from grain;
• Carpentry and joinery—dust from wood;
• Bakeries and mills—dust from flour;
• Textiles—dust from materials like leather.
Workers can suffer from a variety of illnesses and medical conditions as
a result of working in dust-filled environments. Depending on the nature
of the work, some of these ailments can become more serious than others.
The range of dust-related industries and conditions encompass eye and nose
damage, rashes, and other conditions, asthma, silicosis, asbestosis, meso#thelioma,
and lung cancer related to asbestos. Pneumoconiosis, which is
the name given to diseases such as those caused by the likes of asbestosis
and silicosis, is a broad term that describes any condition that affects the
lungs causing inflammation or scarring of the lung tissue. One of the major
worries is that it can often take several decades for a person to develop any
symptoms of pneumoconiosis, which can manifest itself in things like excess
coughing, breathing difficulties, and even weight loss.
The current OSHA 8-h PEL for PONR (particulates otherwise not regu#lated)
respirable fraction is 5.0 and 15 mg/m3 for total particulates.
Thallium-Related Illnesses
Pure thallium is a bluish-white metal that is found in trace amounts in the
earth’s crust. In the past, thallium was obtained as a by-product from smelt#ing
other metals; however, it has not been produced in the United States
since 1984. Currently, all the thallium is obtained from imports and from
thallium reserves.
In its pure form, thallium is odorless and tasteless. It can also be found
combined with other substances such as bromine, chlorine, fluorine, and
iodine. When it’s combined, it appears colorless-to-white or yellow.
Thallium is used mostly in manufacturing electronic devices, switches,
and closures, primarily for the semiconductor industry. It also has limited
use in the manufacture of special glass and for certain medical procedures