Breathing In Granite Dust

Symptoms can include fever weight loss and night sweats.

Breathing in granite dust.

Whether breathing is through the nose or mouth is also important. Posted december 8 2015 by jim orr. Though the practice of cutting and finishing granite into countertops appears safe and harmless the truth is the process poses a dangerous hazard in the form of silica dust. Dust containing silica can be generated when cutting granite a popular building material used for kitchen and bathroom countertops and other.

William graham a retired university of vermont college of medicine professor and pulmonary health specialist has conducted long term health studies of barre granite workers. His research has tracked the ravages of silicosis a deadly lung scarring disease caused by breathing granite dust. Of course we also usually breathe through our noses which have tin. Healthy lungs constantly make mucus and we constantly clear our airways for precisely this sort of situation.

Silica dust formally known as crystalline silica dust can be found everywhere in our environment. Characteristics of the person inhaling particles can also influence the effects of dust. You ll find it in soil sand dust as well as in quartz and granite. I decided to google how to get rid of granite dust and found your website thank you and even worse i found that granite contains silica.

Dust particles get trapped in the mucus and we cough it up and out. As a dnp doctor of nursing practice i knew the health risks associated with this kind of exposure silicosis copd etc and silica is a known carcinogen. Is exposure to airborne concrete stone brick or granite dust hazardous to my health. Breathing rates and smoking are among the most important.

It has been classified as a human lung carcinogen which can potentially cause silicosis. Federal and state authorities have passed laws requiring workers who cut or grind materials such as concrete brick stone or granite to wear respirators or other devices designed to protect them from breathing in these materials. 3 types of silicosis. Silicosis is a fatal long term lung disease caused by the inhalation of silica dust.