The Invisible Hazard That Can End Your Career (and Life)
Incurable Disease
Silicosis has no cure
50 µg/m³
OSHA exposure limit
100% Preventable
With proper controls
Silica dust is like invisible glitter from rocks. When you drill, crush, or blast rock with quartz in it, tiny crystals float in the air. If you breathe them in, they stick in your lungs forever. Over time, they cause scars that make breathing harder — this is called silicosis.
Created during blasting, drilling, crushing, and grinding rock containing crystalline silica (quartz).
Fine particles from rocks (especially quartz) released during mining processes like drilling and crushing.
A lung disease where inhaled silica dust causes irreversible scarring and reduced lung function.
50 µg/m³ averaged over 8 hours, per MSHA/OSHA regulations.
Dust suppression (water sprays), sealed equipment cabs, ventilation, monitoring, and PPE like respirators.
No. Prevention is the only defense.
1. What disease is caused by silica dust exposure?
2. What's the safe exposure limit for silica dust?
3. True or False: Silicosis can be cured.
4. Which control reduces dust at the source?
5. If you can see dust in the air, what does it mean?
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