Silicosis

Corporate Liability

In 1949, England banned silica from sand blasting operations because of the silicosis hazard. European manufacturers developed substitute materials, while American corporations continue using silica. Millions of American tradesmen have been needlessly exposed to harmful concentrations of silica.

The silica industry, like the tobacco industry, now admits the hazards of exposure to its products. Unlike the tobacco industry, the silica manufacturers and suppliers cannot claim that workers made a conscious choice to use its products. Respirable silica is invisible. Where dust was seen, respirators gave the illusion of protection while allowing exposures to continue unabated. Substitute materials were readily available in most industries.

Equally culpable are respirator manufacturers who sold defective protective devices that that gave workers a false sense of security. Respirators certified for silica use failed to prevent inhalation of harmful silica dust. Respirator manufacturers knew of this hazard but did nothing to correct it until recently. Particulate filters, the most common type used in the past, were designed to fail. The knowledge of silica hazards admitted by silica suppliers is damning to the respirator manufacturers.