Comment published on 2 April 2019, see
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(7), 1179.
Artificial Stone Associated Silicosis: A Systematic Review
1
Section of Occupational Medicine, Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
2
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), Via di Fontana Candida 1, Monte Porzio Catone, 00040 Rome, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(4), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16040568
Received: 3 January 2019
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Revised: 30 January 2019
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Accepted: 8 February 2019
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Published: 16 February 2019
(This article belongs to the Section Occupational Safety and Health)
Silicosis is a progressive fibrotic lung disease that is caused by the inhalation of respirable crystalline silica. Due to its high silica content, artificial stone (AS) can become a possible source of hazardous dust exposure for workers that are employed in the manufacturing, finishing, and installing of AS countertops. Therefore, the aim of this review was to verify the association between AS derived silica exposure and silicosis development, and also then define the pathological characteristics of the disease in relation to specific work practices and preventive and protective measures that were adopted in the workplace. A systematic review of articles available on Pubmed, Scopus, and Isi Web of Knowledge databases was performed. Although the characteristics of AS-associated silicosis were comparable to those that were reported for the disease in traditional silica exposure settings, some critical issues emerged concerning the general lack of suitable strategies for assessing/managing silica risks in these innovative occupational fields. Further research that is designed to assess the hazardous properties of AS dusts, levels of exposure in workplaces, and the effectiveness of protective equipment appears to be needed to increase awareness concerning AS risks and induce employers, employees, and all factory figures that are engaged in prevention to take action to define/adopt proper measures to protect the health of exposed workers.
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Keywords:
artificial stone; engineered stone; reconstituted stone; artificial quartz; silicosis; occupational exposure; exposure evaluation; risk assessment; risk management
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MDPI and ACS Style
Leso, V.; Fontana, L.; Romano, R.; Gervetti, P.; Iavicoli, I. Artificial Stone Associated Silicosis: A Systematic Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 568. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16040568
AMA Style
Leso V, Fontana L, Romano R, Gervetti P, Iavicoli I. Artificial Stone Associated Silicosis: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2019; 16(4):568. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16040568
Chicago/Turabian StyleLeso, Veruscka, Luca Fontana, Rosaria Romano, Paola Gervetti, and Ivo Iavicoli. 2019. "Artificial Stone Associated Silicosis: A Systematic Review" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 4: 568. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16040568
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