The new asbestos? Is enough being done to protect workers from silicosis?

Health & Safety is an integral part of everyone’s working life, and we’re fortunate that the UK has strict regulations that protect people. However, not every issue is as well-covered as others. Kirkby Diamond Building Consultancy team debated the growing issue of silicosis and its possible effects.

What is silicosis?

According to the All Party Parliamentary Group for Respiratory Health (APPGRH), silicosis is the most common chronic occupational lung disease worldwide. It’s a long-term respiratory issue, caused by the hardening or scarring of the lung tissue due to prolonged exposure to crystalline silica. These tiny, sharp crystals are found in stone, rocks, sand and clays. They’re found in particularly high quantities in artificial materials such as engineered stone, concrete and mortar. When cutting, grinding and drilling these materials, a very fine dust is spread. When inhaled, the silica crystals can embed in the lungs.

Risks of silicosis

Silicosis usually sets in after 15-20 years of exposure, but it can be as early as 5 years if exposed to materials with high levels of silica, such as sandstone, concrete or quartzite. The damage to lung tissue can cause persistent coughs, shortness of breath, and weakness and tiredness. In rare and severe cases, it can cause premature death.

It can be linked to lung cancer, and workers suffering from silicosis are at increased risk of tuberculosis, kidney disease and arthritis, among other conditions. Silicosis is irreversible and continues to get worse even after someone is no longer exposed.

Those working in the construction industry are classed as at high risk, since crystalline silica particles are produced through construction activities such as brick cutting, stone working and ceramic cutting such as tiling. The APPGRH estimates 600,000 workers are exposed to silica every year in the UK, with up to 81% of those working in construction or manufacturing materials for construction.

Kirkby Diamond's Building Consultancy team discussed whether silicosis is the new asbestos. Asbestos was used for over 100 years in UK construction, until exposure was confirmed as causing illness and death. Despite its total banning in 1999, there are still up to 5,000 premature deaths every year related to asbestos exposure (Health and Safety Executive).

Our team thought silicosis should have a similar level of awareness and precaution as asbestos.  But does it?

Current awareness and guidance around silicosis:

While the HSE provides advice on this matter, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, our governing body, does not have an independent paper dedicated to silicosis. It only mentions silicosis briefly in papers focused on asbestos and the RICS Surveying Safely guidance.

The difference in coverage between asbestos and silicosis in the guidance is striking. Asbestos is mentioned over 40 times and has entire sections dedicated to it. Silicosis is mentioned once, as a respiratory disease that can be contracted from work-related activities. There are also a couple of mentions of silica crystals presenting a risk, but no acknowledgement of their link to silicosis.

Clearly there is a lack of defined information, for both surveyors and contractors.

But awareness may be growing. Silicosis was brought to widespread attention last year thanks to Australia’s ban on engineered stone such as quartzite. This came about due to a spate of silicosis found to be linked to the artificial material. Around the same time, eight similar cases were discovered in the UK.

However, the true scale of the problem is difficult to measure. The HSE estimated that 500 workers died from silicosis in 2005. But the true number could be higher. Silicosis is not a notifiable condition, which means doctors do not have to report cases of it to authorities. Furthermore, typical chest x-rays don’t accurately pick up on the presence of silica crystals in the lungs. This means there could have been thousands more unreported silicosis cases over the years.

What needs to happen?

Kirkby Diamond's Building Consultancy team felt that this poses a major risk to health, yet does not seem to be taken seriously. It was felt that more should be done to raise awareness, and part of this awareness lies with building surveyors running and working with contractors on projects.

However, health authorities should prioritise silicosis more, treating it as seriously as asbestos-related issues. That would give us a better understanding of the extent of silicosis, and equip workers and employers to take better precautions.

Precautions against silicosis

Precautions include:

• Ensuring crystalline silica is below the workplace exposure limit of 0.1 mg/m3, expressed as an 8-hour time-weighted average. Correct monitoring equipment is required
• Ensuring the correct respiratory PPE is used at all times
• Using wet cutting, grinding and sanding where possible
• Substituting materials for ones with lower silica content where possible

This list is not exhaustive, and the Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS) should contain complete measures to protect against silicosis. All workers and surveyors attending sites must refer to it.

You should speak to your GP if you think you may have silicosis. The NHS silicosis page outlines some options if you have been diagnosed with silicosis.