ArticleAmerican journal of industrial medicine2025
The Rapid Rise of Silicosis in Victoria, Australia Associated With Artificial Stone Countertop Industry Work.
Article in American journal of industrial medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- New exposure, ancient disease: patient experiences with artificial stone silicosis.Annals of the American Thoracic Society · 2026Article
- TMEM175 activity in BK-deficient macrophages maintains lysosomal function and mediates silica-induced inflammatory response in macrophages.Inhalation toxicology · 2025Article
- Proteomics and Silica Dust: A Call to Reinforce Occupational History-taking.Open respiratory archivesArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe fabrication and installation of artificial (engineered) stone countertops is a relatively new cause of silicosis. Our aim was to investigate silicosis rates in Victoria, Australia, and the association with stone countertop industry work.
methodsWorkers' compensation claims for silicosis from January 1, 1991 to December 31, 2022 were analyzed across 8-year time periods. Incidence rates per 100,000 persons were calculated by time period, age, and sex. Additionally, incident silicosis cases were reported to a clinical registry by respiratory physicians from May 1, 2019 to December 31, 2022, and analyzed by referral source and occupational history.
resultsOver 32 years, there were 536 workers' compensation claims for silicosis (98.9% male, median age 40 years). In total, 482 (89.9%) were received between 2015 and 2022, a 27-fold increase from the previous 8-year period. The incidence rate for silicosis claims in the adult population increased from 0.12 per 100,000 in 1991-1998 to 2.38 per 100,000 in 2015-2022. In the clinical registry there were 210 incident cases between 2019 and 2022; 97% worked in the countertop industry, 95% with artificial stone. Almost all (89%) cases had been referred following participation in a government screening program for stone countertop industry workers.
conclusionThere has been a major rise in compensation claims for silicosis in Victoria. Active screening of stone countertop workers led to the diagnosis of almost all registered incident silicosis cases. This underscores the risk to stone countertop workers and highlights the potential for under-recognition of silicosis without screening at-risk workers, especially in countries where artificial stone has become popular.
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