Respirable crystalline silica is a dangerous hazard that millions of workers are unknowingly exposed to every year. Of these estimated 2 million workers, 840,000 of them are exposed to an amount of silica that exceeds the permissible exposure limit or the amount of exposure deemed safe. 90% of the individuals exposed to this material are employed in the construction industry.

Individuals who perform construction activities such as cutting, sawing, drilling, and crushing of concrete, brick, ceramic tiles, rock and stone products are unnecessarily putting themselves at risk of contracting deadly diseases caused by respirable crystalline silica. The tools and training needed to protect these individuals are widely available and inexpensive. The issue is that these safeguards are not being implemented and therefore workers are losing their lives to these fatal diseases that are absolutely preventable.

Exposure to respirable crystalline silica can cause silicosis, lung cancer as well as other respiratory and kidney diseases. The seriousness of the health hazards associated with exposure is emphasized by the amount of disabling illnesses and fatalities that occur in sandblasters and rock drillers, who are among workers at the highest risk of exposure.