Elsevier

The Lancet

Volume 337, Issue 8737, 9 February 1991, Pages 341-344
The Lancet

OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE
Accelerated silicosis in Scottish stonemasons

https://doi.org/10.1016/0140-6736(91)90956-PGet rights and content

Abstract

A small group of stonemasons working with sandstone was exposed to levels of respirable quartz up to 130 times the workplace standard over a period of up to 6 years. Two died of accelerated silicosis, a disease that caused serious diagnostic difficulties and was initially not recognised by the doctors of the then Department of Health and Social Security Medical Boarding Centre (respiratory diseases). Previous descriptions of this disease in the UK date back to the years of the industrial revolution (late 18th century). One other mason on the site proved to have an earlier stage of accelerated silicosis and two had radiographic changes of early classic silicosis. Regulations intended to prevent silicosis have been in place in the UK for many decades and were strengthened by the Health and Safety at Work Act in 1974. Although the workers had been aware of a health risk from quartz, they had not been able to persuade management to take effective preventive action until serious illness had occurred. Current pressures on management to cut overheads and to achieve maximum productivity could, as in this instance, lead to neglect of health and safety standards.

References (14)

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (0)

View full text