Having seen patients here and in other states with silicosis from their jobs in mining, tunneling, ceramic manufacture, tuckpointing (repairing mortar joints), and cement finishing, I have learned that prevention is the best treatment because the damage is irreversible.
Those who own or work in a stone countertop finishing shop and would like to assess the safety of their workplace can request a SafetyWorks Consultation, a no-cost and confidential on-site evaluation from the state Department of Labor. They can also consult a certified industrial hygienist to measure the silica levels in the workplace air and, if needed, install safeguards.
A protective standard of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration governs the safe use of silica products. Anyone who feels an OSHA standard is being violated can contact the regional office at (978) 837-4460.
Dr. William Beckett
Watertown
State’s occupational health watchdog brings safety hazards to light
I appreciate the Globe’s recent coverage of a diagnosis of the lung condition silicosis in a construction worker in Massachusetts. This case is a critical warning and a tragic example of an old hazard — silica — appearing in new places. It reflects the all-too-common development of products without adequate consideration for the health impacts on workers who produce them.
The worker in this case has been employed in the stone countertop industry for 14 years. Silica dust in this industry must be controlled to protect those making the countertops many of us use every day.
There is another important part of this story. Given anticipated cuts in federal public health funding, the state Department of Public Health office that identified this case of silicosis — the Occupational Health Surveillance Program — is itself at risk. For nearly 40 years, this small, impactful program has tracked work-related health problems in Massachusetts. It has brought to light workplace health and safety hazards leading to changes in policy and practice that have reduced risks for workers.
For all this time, the OHSP has been federally funded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which the Trump administration is intent on dismantling. State funding to support the OHSP is essential to assure the continuation of the only state program dedicated to collecting and analyzing data needed to keep Massachusetts workers safe on the job.
Letitia Davis
Cambridge
The writer is the retired director of the Occupational Health Surveillance Program and founding member of the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health. She holds a doctor of science degree in occupational epidemiology.
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