Silicosis Scare

[Beccap]

Having a bit of an anxious time after reading up on silicosis - something I never really considered when I started ceramics 4 years ago (classes for about a year, 3 years working part time / full time) because I associated it with people working in mines or dusty factories and not a little potter in shared studio spaces.

I’ve been a full time potter now for 2.5 years. When I started ceramics I wasn’t the best at cleaning up my spaces and used to sweep a lot and accidentally inhale dust. Then I started making my own glazes two years ago - small batches of up to 3KG. Again, didn’t wear a mask and was very very stupid and careless with raw materials. Then last year I found you could use wire wool to dry sand greenware and I would again be very careless, often using it to sand cracks in the surface of slip when my handles of mugs dried out. 
 

Basically probably had terrible studio practices for about 2.5 years and for the last 6 months wisened up and now wear a proper mask when making glazes , wet clean everything, never sweep, only mop, never dry sand and only wet sand bisque. I wear a mask now too when fettling glaze after it dries. 
 

how much trouble am i in here? It’s taken over my life a little bit and I’m a bit afraid to go back to my studio after Christmas which makes me so sad but also have I messed up? Was my exposure enough to have problems down the line? I can’t believe how stupid I was- I just didn’t realise it was something to concern myself with and now I’m scared I’ve done damage to my lungs?

[Denice]

I don't think you have been working in a dusty atmosphere long enough to do much damage.    When I started taking ceramic classes in the early 1970's  no one wore masks or gloves and the professors never talked about them and silicosis.  The studio was in a old football stadium from the early 1900s,  no windows,  no heat or air conditioning.   When clay was being mixed you couldn't even see there was so much dust.   Huge gas kilns were fired right next doors to the throwing room.   Most students weren't there eight hours a day like clay workers,  I am 71 and still here and don't have any lung problems and have been around other silicosis situations.   I worked as a dental technician for 6 year,  had exposure to different kinds of dust.   I live in Kansas wind and dust storms quite common.  I take all of the precautions in my studio now and have for years once I found out it was a problem.   You could have a doctor check things like your breathing capacity.  I have Multiple Sclerosis because of bad genes,  I always felt bad that everyone had to slow down for me.   Now that everyone is in there 70's they all have health problems and they are just as slow as I am.  You can't live your life in fear of what might happen,  you don't know  long your life will be.  We had a young friend killed a couple of years ago walking into work.  He was on his cellphone the guy who ran over him was on his cellphone.    You never know.     Denice

[Hulk]

Hi Beccap, welcome to the Forum.

My guess would be that harmful exposure would be accompanied by some coughing - and other symptoms/indications; however, lower level/chronic exposure over time definitely creeps up stealthily, see CDC articles here: Crystalline Silica | NIOSH | CDC

As for your questions, they are (my opinion) good questions, which you might pose to your health care provider at next opportunity. Meanwhile, keep up the good practices.

[Mark C.]

Just forget about small exposure and now start to work smarter with a mask and wet mop .

I have been a full timer for 50 years and for the 1st 15-20 years was exposed badly . I mixed clay in collage and it was in the early 770s (no masks) -had to go outside to breath from clay dust.

I swept dust for deacads before useing a wet mop. Mixed clay and glazed in large amounts. In the 90s I caught on some to dust.'

Now for the record every 10 years now I get a lung difusion test that measures how elastic your lungs are (in asbestos or silicosis or any lung disease )your lungs become less elastic and this test can show you that you are headed that way. If you get diagnosed with any lung desease you are already toast so this test gives one a heads up. I have three such tests now under my belt.

I also have a central vac heps system in studio and a air handlers that is also hepa. I hepa vac the dust and do not sweep it. The vac is outside of building.

Give up greenware sanding and use a wet sponge-think no dust

you will be fine moving forward-welcome to the forum 

 

Edited December 27, 2023 by Mark C.

[Callie Beller Diesel]

Your initial assumption about the majority of people who wind up with silicosis being in much more industrial settings than yours is correct. There’s a lot more documentation of silicosis with miners, or sandblasters. I won’t say it doesn’t happen to studio potters, because I try not to make absolute statements like that. But I have yet to hear of a case of someone I know with it, either online or in person. I think a few 3 Kg batches of glaze and some sweeping aren’t going to do you in next few years. 

That’s not to say you shouldn’t employ good studio hygiene going forward, though. If you’ve got other medical things going on, like allergies, asthma, pneumonia that gave you lung scarring, long covid, etc,  the addition of silica and other dust isn’t going to make your day better. It’ll add irritation on top of those things, if nothing else.  If you’ve got concerns, you should definitely bring them up to your doctor. +1 for Mark’s lung diffusion test. I’m having my GP do similar with me. 

 

[Beccap]

Thank you so much for you responses! I honestly can’t believe how stupid and careless I was, I just didn’t realise the dangers and never read up on them. I feel my practice has been a dusty reckless one and I just want to know if it’s already too late - I’m now full time in my studio and worried if I continue I’ll make it worse because I’ve already had exposures? Not that I can just stop working of course!
 

It is reassuring to realise the exposure levels of those in the 70s sure, but I’m sure do anxious and wondering if going to a doctor would help. But with no symptoms (apart from anxiety induced ones!) I’m struggling to see why they would do anything.

 

im supposed to be getting married next year and thinking about that, not if I’ll get silicosis in 10 years, I feel I’m being neurotic but it’s hard to know what was too much exposure!

 

for those in class in the 70s, do you know anyone who ever had silicosis?

[Mark C.]

Nobody I knew got it.  No students no teachers. You need to be exposed for many many years Not-2-3 years. Just forget about it and work smarter.

If you are still worried about it read up on mine workers, they get it after a lifetime of exposure .

Many more things way more dangerous to you like crossing the street or driving 

[Callie Beller Diesel]

I was schooled in the 90’s, so my teachers were working in the 70’s. As awful as their habits were, the only one of them that died of cancer had one that wasn’t silica related. The conditions I’ve read about that caused silicosis in the developed world involved construction sandblasters who were working long hours every day, and exposed to huge amounts of dust due to the wrong respirator and inadequate ventilation. Unless you’re doing something very wrong, i don’t think your studio looks like the inside of a dust cloud. 

I say this with love and gentle humour: you probably are being neurotic. The purpose of going to the doctor at this point is for them to reassure you better than we can here, but also to get a documented baseline for lung function. It’s one of those sensible precaution things, and it isn’t urgent. 

[Beccap]

Okay, thank you so much for your responses. I just need to be told how realistic is it for me to be worried. 
 

Of course, what I want to do is completely forget about how silly and stupid I have been in the past, and as long as I’m good now - wear masks / mop only / wet clean etc etc then hopefully 2-3 years of bad habits won’t matter in the long run? 
 

I definitely feel I’m being neurotic about this but also have been bad and inhaled dust etc GOD what a dumb 25 year old I was! But also needed a reality check about whether I need to be this upset and if I’m good going forward I will be ok!??

If it takes a career of say, mining to develop silicosis - surely that means, as you’ve both said, that I would need to exposed to a LOT of dust for years and years (10?) before it would be an issue? so despite blowing and sanding green ware and brushing a lot and inhaling accidentally dust and coughing…. Eeeek it needs to be much more? 
 

im much happier being told I’m being neurotic than if I need to quit pottery because I’ve messed up and risked my lung health! 

[Pres]

Brown lung is nothing to sneeze about, but most of us will not have a problem. You may notice drops in ox levels over the years, but most of this is age. Discuss with your dr your concerns, take precautions, and really . . . don't worry.  Be proactive, clean up, keep scraps wet, cover containers, Fill containers from bags in well ventilated areas, use sponges and wet mops whenever possible.

 

best,

Pres

[Kelly in AK]

We’re hearing a lot in the news about silicosis because people in the “cultured stone” business, countertops, are getting it long before a lifetime of exposure. This is a really specific scenario though. These people are cutting silica slabs all day with inadequate protection. The exposure is hard to fathom. That’s not to mention the unknowns about the engineered material they’re working with. 

You shouldn’t worry about this. You’re doing the right things now. Even if you had a few dusty years you didn’t ruin yourself, not even close. Keep the dust down, wear a mask when you’re playing with powders, you’re good. 

[akilpots]

good podcast episode on the subject

 

https://ceramicmaterialsworkshop.com/podcastepisode/episode-20-should-i-be-afraid-of-silicosis/