Silica is another name for quartz dust, which is an ingredient used in and in the production of many products, including buffers, coatings, sealants and in water treatment. If silica is inhaled, tiny particles are caught in the lungs where they eventually cause scarring. This leads to an incurable, virtually untreatable, and sometimes fatal lung condition called silicosis.
Quartz occurs naturally in the environment and is found in many kinds of rock. According to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), which is responsible for enforcing the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, over a million U.S. workers are exposed to silica in the workplace and more than 250 people die from silicosis each year.
Tiny crystalline silica particles are often invisible. Inhaling them over a period of time can lead to the silica side effect, silicosis. See Silica Information and Warnings for information on the kinds of work that expose you to silica or quartz dust.
Check out the following articles for more information about Silica, filing a Silica lawsuit and finding a Silica attorney.