Can sandblasting cause silicosis?

Yes, sandblasting can cause silicosis. Silicosis is a lung disease that is caused by inhaling respirable crystalline silica, which is a common component of sand and other abrasives used in sandblasting. When silica particles are inhaled, they can become lodged in the lungs and cause inflammation and scarring, which can lead to the development of silicosis. This disease can be debilitating and can even be life-threatening in severe cases, making it important for workers who are exposed to silica through sandblasting to take appropriate precautions to protect themselves. This can include wearing protective clothing and breathing masks, using proper ventilation, and avoiding prolonged exposure to silica dust.

Abrasive blasting with sand that contains crystalline silica can result in severe or fatal respiratory disease. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is requesting help in preventing silicosis and deaths in sandblasters, exposed coworkers, and their employers. Silicosis occurs when lung tissue reacts to trapped silica particles in abrasive blasting by developing fibrotic nodules and scarring. Breathing difficulties and death may result if the nodules grow too large. Inhaling freshly fractured silica from airborne silica particles appears to produce a more severe lung reaction than silica that is not freshly fractured. Over one million workers in the U.S. are at risk of developing silicosis, with more than 100,000 of them being employed as sandblasters. The highest proportion of sandblasters is employed in the construction industry, according to the National Occupational Exposure Survey.

Abrasive blasting with silica can pose a high risk of silicosis in workers, and since 1974, NIOSH has recommended that silica sand (or other materials containing more than 1% crystalline silica) should be prohibited as abrasive blasting material. Several alternative blasting media, such as corundum, glass beads, pumice, and walnut shells, are available, but there is no comprehensive study to evaluate their health effects. Therefore, engineering controls and personal protective equipment should be used with any of the alternative abrasives. Air monitoring should be performed to measure worker exposure to airborne crystalline silica, and blasting should be done in enclosed blast-cleaning machines or cabinets whenever possible. Personal hygiene practices, such as washing hands and faces before eating, drinking, or smoking, showering before leaving the worksite, and changing into clean clothes, are crucial for protecting workers from exposure to crystalline silica and other contaminants during abrasive blasting operations. Respirators should be used in addition to source controls when they cannot keep exposures below the NIOSH REL.