A major outbreak of artificial stone silicosis in Australia: Results from the Victorian Silica-associated Disease Registry

Abstract

Introduction: For several decades, silicosis has been a rare occupational lung disease in Australia. The popularity of high-silica content artificial stone kitchen benchtops has however been associated with increasingly frequent reports of silicosis.

Aims and objectives: To describe incident cases of silicosis occurring in the state of Victoria, and associated occupational and clinical features.

Methods: The Victorian Silica-associated Disease Registry is a state based programme which encourages voluntary reporting by respiratory physicians. A government funded screening programme for stone benchtop workers has also been in operation in Victoria since 2019.

Results: Between July 2019 and March 2022, 202 incident cases of silicosis were reported among persons who had worked in the stone benchtop industry. 155 (77%) were identified with simple silicosis and 47 (23%) with complicated silicosis. Majority of cases (70%) had been diagnosed through participation in a respiratory screening programme. All cases were male, median age of 42 years (Interquartile range (IQR) 35 – 50), 35% were current smokers, and 67% were born in a country other than Australia. Median duration of work in the benchtop industry was 14 years (IQR 9-20). Almost all (96%) noted primarily working with artificial stone and 66% had spent over half of their work time in an environment where dry processing of stone was occurring.

Conclusions: Currently there is a major outbreak of silicosis in the stone benchtop industry. Considering the popularity of artificial stone material internationally, these results are a warning for other regions. Funded by WorkSafe Victoria