Pneumoconioses is the term used for all lung diseases that develop from inhaling dust or minerals for a long period of time. The most common pneumoconioses include asbestosis, black lung disease, berylliosis and silicosis. All of the dust and minerals associated with pneumoconioses are inhaled at places of employment. Your risk of developing one of these diseases will depend on how much you have inhaled and for how long.
Asbestosis
According to Lee Newman, M.D., Head of the Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center, asbestosis develops from either directly or indirectly inhaling material that contains asbestos. You present a risk of receiving an exposure to asbestos if you work with brake linings, construction, tile, insulation, pipes, building maintenance, in demolition or at shipyards. You will usually not have any symptoms until 20 years after you were first exposed. If you have been exposed to very high levels, you can develop symptoms in 10 years. Asbestosis can lead to a cancer called mesothelioma and if you smoke, you have an increased risk of developing lung cancer.
Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis
Also called black lung disease, you present a risk of developing this occupational disease if you work in an underground coal mine inhaling coal dust. Similar to asbestosis, it can take at least 20 years before you show any symptoms. At times, it can take up to 30 to 40 years before symptoms appear. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the years from 1996 to 2005 saw a decline in the number of deaths from coal workers' pneumoconiosis. In 1996 1,417 deaths occurred with the average age of 79 years old. By 2005, there were 653 deaths, with the average age of 81 years.
Berylliosis
Inhaling beryllium dust can lead to this lung disease. You present a risk of receiving an exposure to beryllium if you work in places such as ceramic industries, plating facilities, die manufacturing plants, foundries, dental material sites, nuclear plants, aerospace plants or electronics plants.
Silicosis
Dr. Carrier writes in "Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Pulmonary Medicine," that silicosis proves the most common occupational lung disease throughout the world. Unlike asbestosis, coal workers pneumoconiosis and berylliosis, even though regulations exist, silicosis still presents a problem in America. You are at risk of developing silicosis if you inhale silica dust or quartz. This can occur if you work in mining, quarries, sandblasting, stone work, glass making, pottery making, foundry work or even cleaning boilers. You can develop symptoms within months of being exposed if you have inhaled a lot of this material. If you inhale a lesser amount, you may not develop silicosis for 5, 10, 15 years or longer. However with silicosis, you will remain at an increased risk of developing tuberculosis, and will need to be checked every year.
References
- "Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Pulmonary Medicine"; Michael Hanley, M.D., Carolyn Welsh, M.D.; 2003
- "Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2009"; Stephen McPhee, M.D., Maxine Papadakis, M.D.; 2009
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: Volume 1 - Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis - Mortality
