Search

Exposure to respirable cristalline silica dust during construction activities can cause silicosis and, in accordance with International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), even lung cancer. Among the different facets of construction, residential buildings are of particular interest because the lack of exposure data for workers employed. In this sector a dry sand-blasting of brick ceiling and renewal activities has been investigated. The survey has been carried out in a civil dwelling and 58 samples have been collected using the SKC aluminium cyclone and Door-Oliver plastic cyclone at flow-rate 2.2-1.7 l/min. The respirable dust samples were analysed by x-ray diffraction using NIOSH Method 7500. Even if the results of this study should be considered preliminary, they showed SLC respirable concentrations even many time above TLV-TWA during a sand-blasting activities and some times also during the other activities. Awaiting the correct classification from European Community, it would be desiderable that the workers would had appropriate information and prevention on the specific risks associated to the dust in the construction activities.

Since 1990, a cohort survey has been carried out among workers employed in pottery workers by the Local Health Unit of Viterbo, Latium (Italy). Cumulative exposure to silica containing dust has been assessed for 808 workers, who were also screened with a questionnaire on respiratory symptoms, chest radiography and lungfunction tests. The prevalence of small opacities 1/0 and 1/1+ was 3.0% and 4.1% respectively and the prevalence increased with the cumulative exposure. A close relationship has been found between silica dose and decrease in lung function.