
Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Silicosis
- June 17, 2015
- Attorney David Mann
- Personal Injury
It’s amazing how something as small as particles of dust can get into our lungs and cause big problems. While many of us have heard about asbestos, the similar phenomenon of silicosis hasn’t gotten quite as much attention. Yet, more than 250 U.S. workers die every year and hundreds more become disabled from silicosis. Silica, often referred to as quartz, is a very common mineral found in many materials, including soil, sand, concrete, masonry, rock and granite. When these materials are cut, ground, crushed, exploded, chipped, drilled or otherwise disturbed, they create dust made up of crystalline silica. These bits can be inhaled into a person’s lungs, which react by developing fibrotic nodules and scarring around the trapped silica ...