EXCLUSIVE We're dying from 'black lung' condition after years of cutting kitchen counters- here's what doctors say READ MORE: The pursuit of the perfect kitchen is killing American workers By ALEXA LARDIERI U.S. DEPUTY HEALTH EDITOR DAILYMAIL.
COM Published: 18:22, 8 November 2024 | Updated: 18:23, 8 November 2024 e-mail 3 View comments Millions of American workers are being exposed to small dust particles that infiltrate the body and leave thousands of cuts in their lungs. Known as 'black lung' because of the inflammation and scarring that it causes, cases are emerging among stone and construction workers who accuse their employers of not protecting them from the incurable disease. The disease - medically called silicosis - occurs when tiny shards of silica, found in fancy quartz and granite worktops, are breathed in and make small cuts in the lung, causing irreversible damage.
It was previously thought to be a fading concern that only affected miners who breathed in coal, but cases have emerged in recent years among workers dealing with artificial stone. Experts call it an 'emerging issue' and stress the 'urgent need for clinicians and public health officials to fully address' the matter, which isn't receiving the attention it warrants. Now, dozens of victims are suing stone manufacturers for failing to protect them in a growing wave of lawsuits that could upend the world of home renovation.
James Nevin, a California lawyer, told DailyMail.com he represents around 300 worker.
