Silica health surveillance: a new approach

The emergence of silicosis in artificial stoneworkers in many countries around the world has led to reviews of the effectiveness of existing health surveillance strategies. The chest radiograph has for many decades, been a mainstay of health surveillance for pneumoconiosis [1]. However, the experience in Queensland, Australia has highlighted shortcomings of the chest radiograph, with normal chest radiography in 43% of workers who subsequently were confirmed to have silicosis [2]. Furthermore, when silicosis was identified on chest radiography it was in many cases, too late to prevent significant disability and rapid disease progression. Modernization and improved standards of living have brought artificial stone benchtops into an increasing number of kitchens and bathrooms of residential and commercial buildings. Despite initial reports of silicosis from the Middle East and Europe [3, 4], the risks of artificial stone, which can contain 90% silica or more, were...