Injury Illness Prevention Plan - Flipbook - Page 17
Signs of Chronic Silicosis include:
x Shortness of breath during physical exertion.
x Fever.
x Occasionally bluish skin around the ear lobes or lips.
Chronic Silicosis Treatment:
x Prompt removal from exposure and taking proper rehabilitative measures can
reduce the progress of silicosis, but at this time there is no cure for silicosis.
CALL 911 FOR MEDICAL RESPONDERS.
x While waiting for medical responders, move the worker away from the exposed
area to an area with clean air to breathe.
x The worker’s clothing should be removed or covered up to mitigate the amount
of silica breathed in from the clothes.
x If eye irritation is exhibited, the worker is to remove all (if any) eye protection
and wash the eyes immediately with plenty of water. Do not rub eyes. If
irritation continues, get medical help.
x Encourage the worker to rest until medical responders arrive.
Accelerated Silicosis:
x A form of silicosis that shows symptoms within five (5) to 10 years.
x The symptoms will be the same as Chronic Silicosis and will show themselves
sooner than if Chronic Silicosis occurred.
x There is no cure for silicosis, only treatment that mitigates its progression.
Accelerated Silicosis treatment:
x Move worker away from the exposed area to an area with clean air to breathe.
x The worker’s clothing should be removed or covered up to mitigate the amount
of silica breathed in from the clothes.
x Encourage the worker to rest until medical responders arrive, and the worker
may no longer be allowed to work in environments with high amounts of
particulate silica.
Acute Silicosis:
x A form of silicosis that develops in worker exposed to very high levels of
crystalline silica. Symptoms may appear within only a few weeks of an initial
exposure.
Acute Silicosis treatment:
x Move worker away from the exposed area to an area with clean air to breathe.
x The worker’s clothing should be removed or covered up to mitigate the amount
of silica breathed in from the clothes.
Revised: October 2023
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