A certain killer

SILICOSIS is one of the oldest known occupational diseases and affects the lungs. * Acute silicosis develops within six months to two years of intense silica exposure. While the precise mechanism that triggers silicosis is still unclear, what is known is that particles of silica dust get trapped in the alveoli of the lungs. According to a doctor at the Pondicherry Government Hospital, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, all the affected women from Villianur and Arumparthapuram villages suffer from silicosis as a result of years of exposure to silica sand. Silica ingestion could have been prevented by clearly identifying high-risk areas at the workplace, educating workers about the dangers of overexposure to silica dust, training them in safety techniques and providing them with protective clothing and equipment.