Silicosis in India

Though there has been so much news out of South Africa and Turkey regarding those countries' struggles to combat silicosis, government officials in India have also been struggling with how to deal with an increase in silicosis victims. A recent feature in the Times of India highlights the struggles of a twenty-something man who is dying of silicosis. Most of the man's family has also died from the disease that he contracted after working in a quartz crushing factory in the Indian state of Gujarat. The crushed quartz is then used in the making of glass products.

From many of our posts, it may seem that silicosis is a relatively new occupational health issue, when in actuality this is far from the truth. Dr. Basil Varkey, who wrote the WebMD article on the silicosis, notes that while the condition has been noted as an occupational health hazard for centuries, more cases are now being reported due to an increase in mechanized stone-crushing practices. This increase combined with a lack of modern industrial hygiene practices in the developing world is leading to a noticeable increase in silicosis cases worldwide.

Fumed Silica Plants on the Rise in China

Global demand for manufactured silica products is increasing rapidly with many new plants being constructed throughout the world. According to the Boston Business Journal, the Cabot Corp. is planning to build a new plant in Tianjin, China. With so many recent news items on the occupational health issues surrounding silica production, these new development projects are definitely something to keep an eye on.

South Africa Plans Major Literary Campaign against Silicosis

The South African government is continuing its fight against silicosis among the country's miners through a concerted literary campaign (source: Mining Weekly). According to a spokesperson from the government's Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC), "Various books and booklets will be launched throughout this year, which include best practice scraper winches, a handbook on nutrition, and a handbook on occupational health and hygiene measurements." The Council's efforts will also include the publication of several comic books, presumably aimed at promoting silicosis awareness among illiterate miners. The council's efforts could become a model for other emerging economies to offer common sense awareness and preventative medical practices to those affected by OSH-related injuries and ailments. Keep posted for more details of South Africa's new program.

India's Agate Workers Demand Additional Government Compensation

A March 17th article highlights the struggles of Indian agate workers in the city of Khambhat suffering from silicosis. Agate is a mineral most commonly used to make jewelry. In response to workers' recent demands for government compensation, the government has set-up camps throughout the area, but the workers are demanding more "real" forms of compensation.

It was interesting to learn more about the history of the agate industry in Khambhat from a 2002 Asian Labour Update article. Apparently, silicosis is nothing new to the inhabitants of this city of 80,000 on India's western frontier. The mining, crafting and polishing of agate jewelry employs nearly 30,000 in the area and has been a major industry there for hundreds of years. It's unclear why this has become such a hot button issue over the past year.

New X-Ray to Enhance Silicosis Research in South Africa

Researchers at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), a South African government-funded technology research institute, have developed an x-ray diffraction machine (XRD). The XRD will enable researchers to better identify the phases or crystal forms of silica and other materials present in miners' lungs. According to a researcher on the project, the development of the XRD is just one part of concerted national effort to eliminate silicosis in South African mines by 2013. Read the full article published in Mining Weekly.

For more information on the South African silica industry, read this government report.