The deadly disease claiming the lives of young tradies

Silicosis is a debilitating lung disease – incurable, often progressive and in many cases fatal – caused by breathing in silica dust.

In the end stages of the disease, you’re unable to breathe and you literally suffocate.

Described by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) as a “silent epidemic”, silicosis is a preventable disease. However, many young stonemasons in their 20s and 30s are falling victim to the disease.

Figures published by Curtin University and the ACTU last year estimated 585,050 Australian workers are exposed to silica dust.

Crystalline silica particles can be found in almost all types of rock, clay, sand and natural stones such as marble and granite. Photo: Getty.

What is silica?

Crystalline silica particles can be found in almost all types of rock, clay, sand and natural stones such as marble and granite, and repeated exposure to silica dust leaves workers vulnerable and at high risk of silicosis.

Traditionally, this deadly disease has been associated with quarrying, mining and sand blasting.

Improved work and safety practices had reduced the incidence, however a new threat has emerged.

“Engineered stone”, made from reconstituted silica and synthetic resins, has become part of a flourishing industry, as it is increasingly used for bench tops and splashbacks in kitchens and bathrooms.

The artificial stone contains a high percentage of crystalline silica and stonemasons, often young, working on new home builds and renovations, are inhaling the toxic silica dust as they cut, polish and install the stone.

The deadly effects

Alongside this flourishing industry is what Jonathan Walsh, Principal Lawyer in Dust Diseases at Maurice Blackburn, has described as “an epidemic worse than asbestos”.

A recent audit of more than 800 workers in the manufacturing stone industry in Queensland found 115 cases of silicosis, 16 of them terminal.

Silica is also carcinogenic. The Cancer Council estimates that there are approximately 230 cases of lung cancer caused by silica exposure every year.  In addition to cancer, silica causes severe auto-immune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma and renal failure.

Silicosis symptoms

Shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing, breathing difficulty that does not improve and fatigue are some of the symptoms. More advanced cases suffer fever and weight loss.

The personal cost

Silicosis is a life-threatening illness resulting in the long-term loss of work and income. Younger tradies who can no longer work in their industry or related fields face unemployment or having to re-skill or retrain in a completely new industry.

As Jonathan Walsh says, “For workers in their 20s and their 30s to be told that they have silicosis and that they may not survive the decade – that future is extremely bleak.”

What to do

If you or someone you know is working with stone or in a workplace with silica dust, you must take safety measures and wear protective gear and respiratory masks.

It’s critical to get regular health checks and chest X-rays and be monitored for lung disease.

Get legal advice

If you have been diagnosed with silicosis, you may be entitled to financial compensation.

If you have been diagnosed with an illness linked to exposure at your work, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Get legal advice from Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, they have extensive experience in dust-related issues. Contact them on 1800 763 192 for a free consultation. Continuing to work in a dangerous work environment may be one of the worst things you can do for your health.

If you have been diagnosed with an illness linked to exposure at your work, it’s important to understand the options available to you. Maurice Blackburn Lawyers has extensive experience in dust-related diseases. Continuing to work in a dangerous work environment may be one of the worst things you can do for your health.