A new study has found that occupational exposure to quartz dust is associated with the development of the lung disease silicosis. Researchers looked into the characteristics of patients who had developed silicosis from occupational exposure to quartz—an emerging health concern—with the objective of describing the clinical, socioeconomic, and occupational characteristics of impacted patients.

The patients most impacted

The majority of the patients they identified were Latino men, and the median age of the patients was 45. According to the findings, many patients presented with severe disease, and some cases were fatal.

Richard Anthony Lee, MD, a pulmonologist at UCI Health and an associate clinical professor in the Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine at the UCI School of Medicine says that the findings are worrisome but not surprising, as “inadequate dust suppression and poor compliance with respiratory protection regulations are common in this industry.”

Dr Lee explains that siliсοѕis encompasses a spectrum of lung diseases caused by inhalation of crystalline ѕiliсa, also known as silicon dioxide. It is the most prevalent type of pneumoconiosis in the world.

Liu X, Jiang Q, Wu P, et al. Global incidence, prevalence and disease burden of silicosis: 30 years’ overview and forecasted trends. BMC Public Health. 2023;23(1):1366.

Workers may contract silicosis if they inhale crystalline siliϲа dust “when cutting, sanding, and polishing materials such as quartz, the most common type of crystalline silica and a major component of rocks including granite, slate, and sandstone,” Dr. Lee says.

After inhalation, this crystalline silica can act as a toxin in the body, injuring cells in the lungs and causing lung inflammation and fibrosis, he adds.

Limiting exposure is key to preventing silicosis development 

 To keep workers safe from developing silicosis, it is crucial to prevent or limit their exposure to silica dust.

To protect worker health, Dr. Lee encourages industries and workplaces to use “proper engineering controls such as wet cutting methods,” and workers to use personal protective equipment (PPE) such as “half-face particulate respirators with N95 or better filters for airborne exposures to siliса.”

Is all exposure to quartz a health risk?

While occupational exposure to quartz dust can lead to severe health complications, exposure to finished quartz materials, such as a quartz countertops, doesn’t appear to have the same level of risk. The researchers did not evaluate risks outside of an occupational setting, and finished countertops tend to be smooth and not dusty.

However, this doesn’t mean that homeowners are immune to the larger risks at play. Staying informed about workers’ health risks can help consumers make educated decisions about the products they want to buy and the safety standards they want to advocate for in other industries.

“Now that engineered stone has become the most popular countertop material in the United States, it is important to raise awareness among consumers that the risk of silicosis is even greater to workers exposed to dust from engineered stone products,” Dr. Lee says.