Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
Artificial stone and a new epidemic of silica-related diseases
Dublin Core
Title
Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
Artificial stone and a new epidemic of silica-related diseases
Artificial stone and a new epidemic of silica-related diseases
Subject
Artificial stone, new epidemic of silica-related diseases
Description
Background: High silica content artificial stone (AS) slabs have been
imported into Australia since the early 2000s. The material rapidly
became a popular choice for the fabrication of domestic kitchen
benchtops. The initial Australian case of AS silicosis was reported in
2015. As in other countries where AS is fashionable, major health
problems have emerged resulting from the failure to adequately
control the exposure to respirable silica when working with AS. In
the State of Victoria, Australia, there are an estimated 1500 workers
in the stone benchtop industry.
Methods: As part of a government response, the Victorian Work,
Health and Safety regulator (WorkSafe Victoria) developed and
implemented a free comprehensive health assessment program.
Protocolised primary health assessments, overseen by an occupational physician, included an occupational and health questionnaire, respiratory function testing (spirometry and gas transfer), and International Labor Organisation (ILO) categorised chest x-ray
(CXR). Workers requiring secondary assessment underwent a high-
resolution CT (HRCT) chest, blood tests (including autoimmune
panel) and assessment by a respiratory physician. Consenting workers’ occupational and health assessment details were provided to Monash University for research.
Results: Between July 2019 and August 2021, 402 screened stone
benchtop industry workers with a final assigned diagnosis were
registered. 107 (26.6%) were diagnosed with silicosis, 89 with simple silicosis and 18 with complicated silicosis. 93% of workers were male and 48.5% were born in a country other than Australia. Workers diagnosed with silicosis had a mean age of 42 years and mean career duration in the stone benchtop industry of 11 years. Based on the longest-held job group, rates of silicosis were highest in factory machinists and benchtop installers. Compared to the final respiratory physician and HRCT chest diagnosis, CXR had limited sensitivity to identify silicosis (ILO profusion score > 0/1, sensitivity 67.9%, specificity 73.2%). Fewer than 5 workers were also diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, but 28% of screened stone benchtop workers had blood tests which demonstrated detectable anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA).
Conclusions: The identification of silicosis in one quarter of screened stone benchtop industry workers is a major public health issue. The prevalence of detectable ANA highlights the risk of the development of other silica-associated diseases in these workers. Considering the rapid growth in the popularity of high silica content artificial stone material worldwide, urgent investigation and implementation of control measures is required in all countries where this material is in use.
imported into Australia since the early 2000s. The material rapidly
became a popular choice for the fabrication of domestic kitchen
benchtops. The initial Australian case of AS silicosis was reported in
2015. As in other countries where AS is fashionable, major health
problems have emerged resulting from the failure to adequately
control the exposure to respirable silica when working with AS. In
the State of Victoria, Australia, there are an estimated 1500 workers
in the stone benchtop industry.
Methods: As part of a government response, the Victorian Work,
Health and Safety regulator (WorkSafe Victoria) developed and
implemented a free comprehensive health assessment program.
Protocolised primary health assessments, overseen by an occupational physician, included an occupational and health questionnaire, respiratory function testing (spirometry and gas transfer), and International Labor Organisation (ILO) categorised chest x-ray
(CXR). Workers requiring secondary assessment underwent a high-
resolution CT (HRCT) chest, blood tests (including autoimmune
panel) and assessment by a respiratory physician. Consenting workers’ occupational and health assessment details were provided to Monash University for research.
Results: Between July 2019 and August 2021, 402 screened stone
benchtop industry workers with a final assigned diagnosis were
registered. 107 (26.6%) were diagnosed with silicosis, 89 with simple silicosis and 18 with complicated silicosis. 93% of workers were male and 48.5% were born in a country other than Australia. Workers diagnosed with silicosis had a mean age of 42 years and mean career duration in the stone benchtop industry of 11 years. Based on the longest-held job group, rates of silicosis were highest in factory machinists and benchtop installers. Compared to the final respiratory physician and HRCT chest diagnosis, CXR had limited sensitivity to identify silicosis (ILO profusion score > 0/1, sensitivity 67.9%, specificity 73.2%). Fewer than 5 workers were also diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, but 28% of screened stone benchtop workers had blood tests which demonstrated detectable anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA).
Conclusions: The identification of silicosis in one quarter of screened stone benchtop industry workers is a major public health issue. The prevalence of detectable ANA highlights the risk of the development of other silica-associated diseases in these workers. Considering the rapid growth in the popularity of high silica content artificial stone material worldwide, urgent investigation and implementation of control measures is required in all countries where this material is in use.
Creator
Ryan Hoy, Christina Dimitriadis, Deborah Glass, Fiona Hore-Lacy and Malcolm R. Sim
Publisher
Elsevier Korea LLC
Date
January 2022
Contributor
Sri Wahyuni
Format
PDF
Language
English
Type
Text
Coverage
Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
Files
Citation
Ryan Hoy, Christina Dimitriadis, Deborah Glass, Fiona Hore-Lacy and Malcolm R. Sim, “Safety and Health at Work Vol. 13 Supplement 2022
Artificial stone and a new epidemic of silica-related diseases,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed February 5, 2025, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2390.
Artificial stone and a new epidemic of silica-related diseases,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed February 5, 2025, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2390.