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Pneumoconiosis
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Definition
- Pneumoconiosis is fibrosis and scarring of the lungs due to the chronic (long-term) occupational inhalation of dusts such as coal, silica or asbestos.
- Silicosis is the most common form of pneumoconiosis and is caused by inaling free silica or crystalline silica (SiO2).
- Asbestiosis is a form of pneumoconiosis caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers.
There are additional forms of pneumoconiosis that affect coal miners, welders, hard mineral dusts, talc, kaolin and more. See the first link under Further Reading below.
SDS Relevance
Section Section 11 (toxicological information) of the Safety Data Sheet will warn of pneumoconiosis if the material is known to cause this kind of damage. Pneumoconiosis is a serious hazard at locations where dust is produced. Examples include coal mines, quarries and foundries. Breathing dust day after day is not normal and can result in permanent lung damage. Always take care to minimize the formation of dusts in the first place and use adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as dust masks or respirators in the presence of such materials. Section 8 (exposure controls/personal protection) of the sheet will have specific recommendations.
Keep in mind that the lung damage caused by inhalation of dusts may initially not cause any symptoms, even though damage has been done. If you wait until symptoms appear before taking appropriate precautions, the damage may be irreversible.
Further Reading
- The American Lung Association's Coal Worker's Pneumoconiosis (Black Lung Disease) web page.
- Pneumoconiosis at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
- Coal worker's pneumoconiosis at the NIH's MedlinePlus Encyclopedia.
- Silicosis at the American Lung Association.
- Silica, Crystallines at OSHA discusses silicosis and how it can be avoided.
- Asbestiosis - Symptoms & Causes at the Mayo Clinic.
- Asbestiosis at the American Lung Association.
- Pitfalls in Diagnosing Occupational Lung Disease (OLD) for Purposes of Compensation by Lawrence Martin, M.D. in J. Law Health, 1998, 13(1), pp 49-68.
- Prognostic effect of tuberculosis on patients with occupational lung diseases from Medicine (Baltimore), 2016, 95(37), e4748.
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