Asbestos
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Silica
Solvents
What is Silica?
Silica is quartz or sand. When silica is in the air as very fine dust, it can be inhaled. The lungs cannot easily expel fine silica particles.
Construction and maintenance workers may be exposed to silica during demolition, concrete removal, sandblasting, or other work activities.
Silica Exposure
Silica can cause silicosis, a lung disease. Silicosis happens when inhaled silica dust stays in the lungs, causing scarring. The symptoms of silicosis are shortness of breath and a cough that brings up sputum. Sputum is mucous and other material that comes out of the respiratory tract.
Silicosis can progress even after expsoure to silica has stopped. Silicosis may develop into progressive massive fibrosis. This causes severe shortness of breath.
What We Look For
To help detect lung disease, you may have a chest x-ray. You also may have spirometry testing. Spirometry measures your breathing capacity. Chest x-rays may be normal or may show irregular opacities. Opacities are dense areas that look like spots. Additional tests or treatment may be necessary for those testing positive. If you test positive, you will be referred to your doctor or advised of the specialty consultation needed for any additional test or treatment.If you are found to have silicosis, you would need to limit your exposure to all respiratory irritants - cold air, dry air, humid air, and fumes.
Confidentiality
All test results are confidential. You will receive a letter summarizing your examination and photocopies of your test results which you may share with your personal physician.
