Artificial stone-associated silicosis in Belgium: response

We thank Ronsmans et al1 for their kind interest in our paper and the accompanying correspondence. We were most interested to read about their patients, who also worked without dust suppression measures nor adequate respiratory protection. We also are unaware of any other cases described in Belgium. Artificial stone products are extremely popular in Australia and are frequently used in new housing developments. A recent study conducted by SafeWork New South Wales in response to our reporting of the index case was presented at the International Congress on Occupational Health Congress in Dublin in April 2018.2 Thirty-five workers at six stone benchtop fabrication workplaces were monitored during their usual work. Respirable crystalline silica levels were generally far above the Australian workplace exposure standard of 0.1 mg/m³ per 8 hours time-weighted average. Long-term workers had not undergone any health monitoring including chest X-ray or spirometry. These may well be typical of conditions...

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