Silica: The Deadly Dust

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Pre and Post Test Questions

1. Silica (silicon dioxide- SiO2) is formed from the two most abundant elements in the earth's crust, oxygen and silicon and is the earth’s most abundant mineral and workers exposed to airborne dust levels of respirable crystalline silica (0.5 – 5.0  micrometers in diameter) are at risk for respiratory and other diseases.
   
   
   1. True
   2. False
      
      
2. Occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica is associated with a number of respiratory diseases, including: (Circle all correct answers)
   
   
   1. silicosis (acute, accelerated, and chronic)
   2. progressive pulmonary fibrosis
   3. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (e.g., chronic bronchitis, emphysema)
   4. lung cancer
   5. asthma
   6. tuberculosis
      
      
3. Occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica is also associated with a number of other diseases, including: (Circle all correct answers)
   
   
   1. rheumatoid arthritis
   2. scleroderma
   3. systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
   4. small vessel vasculitides
   5. rapid progressive glomerulonephritis
   6. nephrotic syndrome
   7. end-stage renal disease
      
      
4. In the United States, it is estimated that 200,000 miners and 1.7 million workers outside the mining industry have potential exposure to silica dust.
   
   
   1. True
   2. False
      
      
5. The reasons for taking an occupational & environmental health history are: (Circle all correct answers)
   
   
   1. To make an accurate medical diagnosis, determine appropriate treatment and prognosis
   2. To determine causality and establish the basis for compensation
   3. To institute primary preventive measures to protect other workers and other individuals in the community
   4. To prevent exacerbation of underlying preexisting lung disease by occupational and environmental agents.
      
      
6. The clinical diagnosis of silicosis is dependent on the recognition that silica exposure has been adequate to cause the disease. The occupational history is central to determining the type and extent of exposures that a worker has experienced. What questions would you ask? (Circle all correct answers)
   
   
   1. What kind of work do you do?
   2. Do you think your health problems are related to your work?
   3. Are your symptoms better or worse when you are at home or at work?
   4. Are you now or have you previously been exposed to dust, fumes, chemicals, radiation or loud noises?
      
      
7. Some of the other pulmonary diseases that mimic silicosis on chest x-ray include: (Circle all correct answers)
   
   
   1. miliary TB
   2. COPD
   3. Histoplasmosis
   4. Sarcoidosis
      
      
8. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded that crystalline silica inhaled in the form of quartz or cristobalite from occupational sources is carcinogenic to humans (Group1).
   
   
   1. True
   2. False
   
   
   
9. The main goals of occupational health surveillance are: (Circle all correct answers)
   
   
   1. To identify the incidence and prevalence of occupational illness and injury for determining control and research priorities and strategies and to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions;
   2. To identify individual cases of work-elated disease or injury in order to identify other individuals from the same or similar workplace or individuals with the same or similar exposures who may be at risk for illness or injury;
   3. To identify new associations between occupational hazards and the resultant injury or illness.
      
      
10. Occupational diseases such as silicosis and injuries are preventable. Hierarchy of controls refers to the concept of fixing the workplace to prevent exposures to hazards. Engineering controls are always the first and preferred method of hazard control.
    
    
    1. True
    2. False

Answers:

1. Silica (silicon dioxide- SiO2) is formed from the two most abundant elements in the earth's crust, oxygen and silicon and is the earth’s most abundant mineral and workers exposed to airborne dust levels of respirable crystalline silica (0.5 – 5.0  micrometers in diameter) are at risk for respiratory and other diseases.
   
   
   1. True
   2. False
      
      
2. Occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica is associated with a number of respiratory diseases, including: (Circle all correct answers)
   
   
   1. silicosis (acute, accelerated, and chronic)
   2. progressive pulmonary fibrosis
   3. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (e.g., chronic bronchitis, emphysema)
   4. lung cancer
   5. asthma
   6. tuberculosis
      
      
3. Occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica is also associated with a number of other diseases, including: (Circle all correct answers)
   
   
   1. rheumatoid arthritis
   2. scleroderma
   3. systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
   4. small vessel vasculitides
   5. rapid progressive glomerulonephritis
   6. nephrotic syndrome
   7. end-stage renal disease
      
      
4. In the United States, it is estimated that 200,000 miners and 1.7 million workers outside the mining industry have potential exposure to silica dust.
   
   
   1. True
   2. False
      
      
5. The reasons for taking an occupational & environmental health history are: (Circle all correct answers)
   
   
   1. To make an accurate medical diagnosis, determine appropriate treatment and prognosis
   2. To determine causality and establish the basis for compensation
   3. To institute primary preventive measures to protect other workers and other individuals in the community
   4. To prevent exacerbation of underlying preexisting lung disease by occupational and environmental agents.
      
      
6. The clinical diagnosis of silicosis is dependent on the recognition that silica exposure has been adequate to cause the disease. The occupational history is central to determining the type and extent of exposures that a worker has experienced. What questions would you ask? (Circle all correct answers)
   
   
   1. What kind of work do you do?
   2. Do you think your health problems are related to your work?
   3. Are your symptoms better or worse when you are at home or at work?
   4. Are you now or have you previously been exposed to dust, fumes, chemicals, radiation or loud noises?
      
      
7. Some of the other pulmonary diseases that mimic silicosis on chest x-ray include: (Circle all correct answers)
   
   
   1. miliary TB
   2. COPD
   3. Histoplasmosis
   4. Sarcoidosis
      
      
8. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded that crystalline silica inhaled in the form of quartz or cristobalite from occupational sources is carcinogenic to humans (Group1).
   
   
   1. True
   2. False
   
   
   
9. The main goals of occupational health surveillance are: (Circle all correct answers)
   
   
   1. To identify the incidence and prevalence of occupational illness and injury for determining control and research priorities and strategies and to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions;
   2. To identify individual cases of work-elated disease or injury in order to identify other individuals from the same or similar workplace or individuals with the same or similar exposures who may be at risk for illness or injury;
   3. To identify new associations between occupational hazards and the resultant injury or illness.
      
      
10. Occupational diseases such as silicosis and injuries are preventable. Hierarchy of controls refers to the concept of fixing the workplace to prevent exposures to hazards. Engineering controls are always the first and preferred method of hazard control.
    
    
    1. True
    2. False

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