PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - R Hoy
AU  - D Glass
AU  - D Christina
AU  - S Gwini
AU  - F Hore-Lacy
AU  - M Abramson
AU  - K Walker-Bone
AU  - M Sim
TI  - A major outbreak of artificial stone silicosis in Australia: Results from the Victorian Silica-associated Disease Registry
AID  - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2022.4363
DP  - 2022 Sep 04
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 4363
VI  - 60
IP  - suppl 66
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/60/suppl_66/4363.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/60/suppl_66/4363.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2022 Sep 04; 60
AB  - 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 VictoriaFootnotesCite this article as Eur Respir J 2022; 60: Suppl. 66, 4363.This article was presented at the 2022 ERS International Congress, in session “-”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).