If you work in the construction industry, you need to make sure that you understand the risk that silicosis presents and what to do if you have been exposed.
What Silicosis Is
Silicosis is actually a naturally occurring mineral. You can find minerals inside of rocks and within sand. Silicosis on its own is not a bad thing; however, when it is broken down into a dust it can be harmful to people. Silicosis is released through many common construction activities, such as breaking concrete and rocks or sanding down these materials.
How Silicosis Harms You
Next, it is important to realize how silicosis harms you. When silicosis is contained within rocks and concrete, it is not really harmful. It becomes harmful when those materials are broken down and the silicosis is turned into a dust that you can break into your lungs.
Once the silicosis is in your lungs, it can do some serious damage. It can scar the inside of your lungs and cause scar tissue to develop. Scar tissues in your lungs can make it really hard for you to breath. Getting silicosis in your lungs can also create other respiratory issues, such as lung cancer as well as bronchitis. It can make it difficult to breathe and lead to a host of other health issues.
When Silicosis Hurts You
The sneaky thing about silicosis is that you may not realize that you were exposed to it for years or even decades. It takes a long time for the dust that got into your lungs to damage your lungs most of the time. First, other symptoms like chest pains, tiredness, coughing and a hard time catching your breath may develop before you realize that silicosis is the issue. This can create expensive health issues for you long after you are finished with the job.
Protection From Silicosis
The sad truth is that it is really easy to protect workers from silicosis dust. All your employer needs to do is provide you with breathing masks to keep the dust away and clean up and remove all dust that is created right away. Doing these things will protect you from the side effects of silicosis.
If you suspect that you have breathed in silicosis, you are going to want to contact an attorney or a firm like Alexander Law Firm to start a personal injury case so you can get assistance for the medical issues that this condition is and will cause you.
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