California workers who cut countertops are dying of an incurable disease
California workers who cut countertops are dying of an incurable disease
The booming popularity of countertops made of engineered stone has driven a new epidemic of silicosis, an incurable lung disease, researchers have found.
“Nobody uses water,” one man in a Dodgers cap said in Spanish when Maria Cabrera approached, holding flyers about silicosis, an incurable and suffocating disease that has devastated dozens of workers across the state and killed men who have barely reached middle age.
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The disease dates back centuries, but researchers say the booming popularity of countertops made of engineered stone, which has much higher concentrations of silica than many kinds of natural stone, has driven a new epidemic of an accelerated form of the suffocating illness. As the dangerous dust builds up and scars the lungs, the disease can leave workers short of breath, weakened and ultimately suffering from lung failure.
“You can get a transplant,” Cabrera told the man in Spanish, “but it won’t last.”
In California, it has begun to debilitate young workers, largely Latino immigrants who cut and polish slabs of engineered stone. Instead of cropping up in people in their 60s or 70s after decades of exposure, it is now afflicting men in their 20s, 30s or 40s, said Dr. Jane Fazio, a pulmonary critical care physician who became alarmed by cases she saw at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center. Some California patients have died in their 30s.
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There are a lot of workers in different industries that are at risk of silicosis and don't know it. The mentality of "it's just dust, don't be afraid to get a little dirty" will end up killing people.
You're absolutely right, all this old timer "Kids these days are so soft..." B. S. When in reality the young just don't wanna die or be maimed at 30.
Take care of your bodies, kids, it's the only one you get. Don't let corporations run you into the ground and then throw you in the trash. We need to demand better working conditions from our bosses and our elected officials.
"The only one looking out for #1 is you." - My section chief when I was in the Army.
I'll never forget it and I pass it on every chance I get. I've gone as far as shaming some people into wearing knee braces and the like because "what the fuck are you doing, you're gonna fuck it up even worse"
I try anyways... doesn't always work...
Keep up the good work, it might not always work, but the times that it does are priceless.
There are a decent amount of teenagers where I work and I try to pass that idea on to as many as I can. Adults too, of course, but it's really satisfying to be able to catch people while they're young and still have loads of time to protect themselves... From a lot of things.
When running a fireworks show, safety is by far the most important part of the job.
In the safety briefing before we start working in the morning, the one before we load shells, AND the one before we fire the show we remind them that the person most responsible for their safety is themselves. If they do not feel safe about something, anything, do not do it and come to me. I will never shame someone for wearing PPE. I will always be inspired from whatever device or tool they come up with to make the job safer or more comfortable.
Everything can wait while we sort out safety issues.
This reminded me of a guy I knew. He was the safety guy for large events such as concerts or conventions, lots of electrical work and heavy loads, hoisting and such. Said this stuff to others, but also tried to put it all on himself, sort of like you, "always come to me." Dude made sure he was there for every important or possibly dangerous step, sometimes not very busy but then when a big event was coming up, very very busy for a few weeks. Fell asleep at the wheel. Gotta delegate.
It's not so much of a "I'll do it." It's a "get me and we'll find a way to do it safe."
If I have to get more PPE, if we need to change our layout, if we need to cancel parts of the show, we'll do what we need to to make it safe.
I just spent some time in an area with lots of cows... I ended up looking out for #2 a lot.
If it works only occasionally, it still works!
I try to point out to my coworkers that part of what they're trading for wages is wear and tear on their bodies. Using provided PPE is like getting a raise because you're giving the company less.
My doctor told me recently I should wear a mask everytime I mow the lawn. I was like fuckkkk. It's true though.
Just you? Or people in general? And, what does the mask block or protect against?
Everyone.
Lung burden. When you breathe in particles, a few of them never come out. It's cumulative. I'm a non smoker, way worse for smokers.
My boss has emphysema and asthma, but refuses to wear a mask when doing demolition because "it makes it too hard to breath." I don't understand this mentality.
I don't know an outdoor construction worker that doesn't have some sort of pulmonary disease. Chronic rhinitis at best, mostly COPD, many with also with sleep apnea. And those that smoke on dusty job sites will all die young.