Human exposure to silica dust is very common in both working and living environments. However, the potential long-term health effects have not been well established across different exposure situations. The authors studied 74,040 workers who worked at 29 metal mines and pottery factories in China for 1 y or more between January 1, 1960, and December 31, 1974, with follow-up until December 31, 2003 (median follow-up of 33 y).
The Killer Jeans Campaign, launched in November 2010, called on major brands and retailers to stop sandblasting, a method of giving jeans a worn-out look. The process can seriously damage worker's health if performed without suitable protective equipment. Over 40 major brands and retailers have issued a ban on sandblasting but, as Dominique Muller explains, garment workers are still being asked to risk their lives for fashion.
The alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay) was applied to study the genotoxic properties of silica in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). The study was designed to evaluate the DNA damage of lymphocytes and the end points like micronuclei from buccal smears in a group of 45 workers, occupationally exposed to silica, from small mines and stone quarries. The results were compared to 20 sex and age matched normal individuals. There was a statistically significant difference in the damage levels between the exposed group and the control groups.
Health facilities, adequate compensation must be provided
Taking a serious note of the increasing silicosis-related deaths in the country, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has recommended that silicosis be made a notifiable disease. Once notified, all government and private health facilities will have to report confirmed as well as suspected silicosis cases to the government.
24 people working in stone-crushing units die of the disease
Visit the small village of Musabani in Jharkhand and you hear heart-rending stories of people involved in mining.
Situated near National Highway 33 close to Jamshedpur, Musabani drew public attention recently as 24 people died due to silicosis here. The village has been an active mining area with a large number of stone crushers that work for the K.K. Mineral factory and its sister factories.
The health of hundreds of thousands of mine workers in India is in danger as several states have ignored the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) directives on prevention of silicosis, an incura
Almost 500 South African miners are seeking health-related compensation from Anglo American through a High Court lawsuit launched in London on Wednesday.
IN NOVEMBER last year, the Supreme Court directed the Gujarat government to pay Rs 3 lakh each as compensation to the families of 238 tribal migrant workers from Madhya Pradesh who died of silicosi
With majority of states yet to carry out a survey as recommended three years ago by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to find out the number of persons suffering from silicosis in their areas, the Commission took a serious view of the approach by various governments.
