For many years, asbestos and the illnesses it caused were among the highest-priority industrial illnesses. Workers diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer and asbestosis often require substantial compensation due to the devastating impact those illnesses can have.
In recent years, a different industrial illness has begun drawing the attention of workplace safety professionals and health care providers. There has been an alarming increase in the rate of workers getting diagnosed with silicosis, especially among those working with stone countertops and similar products.
Why are these blue-collar professionals at such a high risk of a severe ailment?
Inhaled silica is dangerous
The process of manufacturing stone countertops or installing them in a customer’s home generally requires cutting and sanding the fabricated stone. That process produces fine silica particulates. The visible dust and trace amounts of silica in the air are small enough for people to easily inhale. The silica damages the lungs, leading to chronic respiratory symptoms. There is no cure for silicosis, and it can result in not just a cough and shortness of breath but chest pain, tiredness, a loss of strength and fluid in the lungs.
Professionals who handle manufactured stone products, such as quartz-style countertops, are at especially high risk of developing silicosis due to their workplace functions. Those sickened due to workplace exposure to hazardous materials may be eligible for workers’ compensation.
Reviewing one’s employment history and medical records with a workers’ compensation attorney can help ill people understand their rights and file a claim. Benefits can help pay for medical care and can replace the income of a professional undergoing treatment or dealing with respiratory symptoms that limit their ability to perform job functions.