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NIOSH Safety and Health Topic:

Silica

At least 1.7 million U.S. workers are exposed to respirable crystalline silica in a variety of industries and occupations, including construction, sandblasting, and mining. Silicosis, an irreversible but preventable disease, is the illness most closely associated with occupational exposure to the material, which also is known as silica dust. Occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica are associated with the development of silicosis, lung cancer, pulmonary tuberculosis, and airways diseases. These exposures may also be related to the development of autoimmune disorders, chronic renal disease, and other adverse health effects.

Please note: For information about health effects from dust particles in environments outside of the workplace, see websites of the United States Environmental Protection Agency "Particulate Matter" and the CDC "Air Pollution and Respiratory Health".

NIOSHTIC-2 Search

NIOSHTIC-2 search results on Silica
NIOSHTIC-2 is a searchable bibliographic database of occupational safety and health publications, documents, grant reports, and journal articles supported in whole or in part by NIOSH.

NIOSH Publications - Silica (General)

Silica

Worker grinding concrete, worker cutting rock, silica particles

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NIOSH Publications - Silica (by Industry)
 
Other Silica Resources


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Hazard Review

NIOSH Hazard Review: Health Effects of Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2002-129 (April 2002)
This Hazard Review describes published studies and literature on the health effects of occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica among workers in the U.S. and many other countries. Occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica are associated with the development of silicosis, lung cancer, pulmonary tuberculosis, and airways diseases. These exposures may also be related to the development of autoimmune disorders, chronic renal disease, and other adverse health effects.

NIOSH Recommendations for Preventing Silicosis

Criteria for a Recommended Standard—Crystalline Silica
DHEW (NIOSH) Publication No. 75-120 (1974)
This report presents the criteria and recommended standards for preventing occupational diseases arising from exposure to crystalline variants of free silica. Criteria presented in this document do not pertain to amorphous, noncrystalline forms of silica.

Current Intelligence Bulletin #36: Silica Flour: Silicosis (Crystalline Silica)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 81-137 (1981)
This report warns producers and users of silica flour that the risk of developing silicosis may be very high for exposed workers.

NIOSH Alert: Request for Assistance in Preventing Silicosis and Deaths from Sandblasting
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 92-102 (1992)
Esta Pãgina en Español En Español   
This Alert describes 99 cases of silicosis from exposure to crystalline silica during sandblasting. Of the 99 workers reported, 14 have already died from the disease, and the remaining 85 may die eventually from silicosis or its complications.

Alert: Request in Preventing Silicosis and Deaths in Rock Drillers
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 92-107 (1992)
Esta Pãgina en Español En Español   
This Alert describes 23 cases of silicosis from exposure to crystalline silica during rock drilling. Of the 23 workers reported, 2 workers have already died from the disease, and the remaining 21 may die eventually from silicosis or its complications.

NIOSH Alert: Request for Assistance in Preventing Silicosis and Deaths in Construction Workers
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 96-112 (1996)
Esta Pãgina en Español
En Español   
This Alert describes six case reports of construction workers who have died or are suffering from silicosis. In addition, the Alert cites examples of five construction operations that used poor dust controls and two operations that used good dust controls.

Occupational Health Guideline for Amorphous Silica
this document in PDF PDF only 4187 KB (130 pages) 
This guideline is intended as a source of information for employees, employers, physicians, industrial hygienists and other occupational health professionals who may have a need for information on amorphous silica.

Occupational Health Guideline for Crystalline Silica
this document in PDF PDF only 4187 KB (130 pages) 
This guideline is intended as a source of information for employees, employers, physicians, industrial hygienists and other occupational health professionals who may have a need for a need for information on crystalline silica.

B-Reader Program

NIOSH B-Reader Program
NIOSH B Reader certification is granted to physicians who demonstrate proficiency in the classification of chest x-rays for the pneumoconioses using the International Labour Office (ILO) Classification System. The NIOSH Chest Radiography Topic Page has searchable databases of NIOSH B readers and successful international examinees.

Spirometry

Spirometry Monitoring Technology
NIOSH topic page with link to software for Spirometry Longitudinal Data Analysis (SPIROLA).

Spirometry Training Course
Information about training for those individuals who will be administering screening pulmonary function testing to employees who are exposed to cotton dust.

Respirators

NEW  Respiratory Protection Recommendations for Airborne Exposures to Crystalline Silica
DHEW (NIOSH) Publication No. 2008-140 (July 2008)
NIOSH recommends the use of half-facepiece particulate respirators with N95 or better filters for airborne exposures to crystalline silica at concentrations less than or equal to 0.5 mg/m3.

NIOSH Respirators Topic Page
Provides information about respirators, including user notices, respirator selection, respirator certification processes, standards and rulemaking.

Certified Equipment List
Database of all certified respirators and coal mine dust personal sampler units.

Video Programs

NIOSH Training Videos
Some NIOSH video programs are available online in streaming and downloadable formats. All NIOSH video programs can be borrowed (and copied) free of charge.

Joint Campaign for Silicosis Prevention

A Guide To Working Safely With Silica: If It's Silica, It's Not Just Dust (1997) 
 this document in PDF PDF only  213 KB (21 pages)
This guide, a cooperative effort between the Department of Labor and NIOSH, explains how you can protect yourself and others if you work in one of the dozens of industries where dust containing silica is present.

Press Release on Joint Campaign on Silicosis Prevention
Reprint of original press release from the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Public Affairs

"Preventing Silicosis" (October 31, 1996) 
Esta Pãgina en Español
En Español  
Reprint of U.S. Department of Labor fact sheet.

Sampling and Analytical Methods

NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM), 4th edition
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 94-113 (1994)
NMAM is a collection of methods for sampling and analysis of contaminants in workplace air, and in the blood and urine of workers who are occupationally exposed. These methods have been developed or adapted by NIOSH or its partners and have been evaluated according to established experimental protocols and performance criteria. NMAM also includes chapters on quality assurance, sampling, portable instrumentation, etc.

  • Method #7501 - Silica, Amorphous
    this document in PDF PDF only  44 KB (8 pages)
  • Method #7500 - Silica, Crystalline, by XRD
    this document in PDF PDF only  50 KB (8 pages)
  • Method #7601 - Silica, Crystalline
    this document in PDF PDF only  28 KB (5 pages)
  • Method #7602 - Silica, Crystalline (IR)
    this document in PDF PDF only  29 KB (5 pages)
  • Method #7603 - Silica in coal mine dust
    this document in PDF PDF only  33 KB (6 pages)

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005-149
Exposure limits, Respirator Recommendations, First Aid, more...
The Pocket Guide is a source of general industrial hygiene information on several hundred chemicals/classes found in the work environment. Key data provided for each chemical/substance includes name (including synonyms/trade names), structure/formula, CAS/RTECS Numbers, DOT ID, conversion factors, exposure limits, IDLH, chemical and physical properties, measurement methods, personal protection, respirator recommendations, symptoms, and first aid.

Worker Notification Program

Through the NIOSH Worker Notification Program, NIOSH notifies workers and other stakeholders about the findings of past research studies related to a wide variety of exposures. The links below present archival materials sent to participants in studies related to crystalline silica exposure.

Surveillance

Occupational Respiratory Disease Surveillance (ORDS)
NIOSH Topic Page about occupational respiratory disease medical screening and monitoring

Atlas of Respiratory Disease Mortality, United States: 1982-1993
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 98-157 (1998)  
This report presents maps showing geographic distributions (by health service area) of mortality associated with selected respiratory conditions that together represent nearly all respiratory diseases. For categories of traditional occupational lung diseases mapped in this atlas (i.e., the pneumoconioses, including coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, asbestosis, silicosis, byssinosis, and other and unspecified pneumoconioses), nearly all cases are attributable to hazardous occupational exposure.

MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
The MMWR weekly contains data on specific diseases as reported by state and territorial health departments and reports on infectious and chronic diseases, environmental hazards, natural or human-generated disasters, occupational diseases and injuries, and intentional and unintentional injuries. Included here are a collection of articles related to occupational exposure to silica.

Worker Health Chartbook 2004
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004-146 (2004) 
Fatal and Nonfatal Injuries, and Selected Illnesses and Conditions—Chapter 2: Silicosis
The Chartbook presents data and charts that characterize types of injuries and illnesses by gender, race, industry, and occupation. Sections of the 2000 Chartbook were re-packaged in booklets highlighting fatal and nonfatal illnesses and injuries as well as a focus on mining.

  • Fatal Illness
    DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2002-118 
     this document in PDF PDF only  1.7 MB (60 pages) 
  • Nonfatal Illness
    DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2002-120 
     this document in PDF PDF only  2.8 MB (68 pages) 
  • Focus on Mining
    DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2002-121 
     this document in PDF PDF only  1.4 MB (44 pages) 

Work-Related Lung Disease (eWoRLD) Surveillance System
The Work-Related Lung Disease (eWoRLD) Surveillance System, produced by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), presents up-to-date summary tables, graphs, and figures of occupationally-related respiratory disease surveillance data on the pneumoconioses, occupational asthma and other airways diseases, and several other respiratory conditions. For many of these diseases, selected data on related exposures are also presented.

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Page last updated: August 14, 2008
Page last reviewed: July 31, 2008
Content Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Education and Information Division