Crystalline Silica Dust Is Touted the New Asbestos of the 21st Century
It’s not unreasonable to worry about your living conditions regardless of what they may be. Even if you think you’re keeping a properly maintained home, some of the materials that were put in your home at the time of construction may have detrimental effects on the health of you and your loved ones. A prime example of this would be asbestos exposure. Fortunately, asbestos was only used as insulation inside homes throughout the early 20th century and began to see less use in the 70’s as our awareness of its cancer-causing properties began to spike. Cases of lung cancer began to pop up everywhere affecting people that were exposed in their communities, homes, and workplaces.
Exposure & Development of Malignant or Nonmalignant Diseases
Today, we now know to clear up asbestos from homes, so our loved ones and workers aren’t at risk of developing malignant or nonmalignant diseases. However, we are now noticing another substance that could be even more detrimental to the health of many in the construction field as well as homeowners. Millions of workers in the United States are being exposed to silica dust also known as crystalline silica. Crystalline silica dust can be found throughout many different industries such as mining, construction, oil and gas, foundries, stone countertop fabrication, manufacturing settings, and much more. Materials that produce this dangerous substance are sand, brick, block, concrete, mortar, and stone. This extremely dangerous dust is created in these types of jobs, and anyone exposed is at risk of serious respiratory disease development.
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Crystalline Silica Is More Abundantly Found on Earth
COPD
SILICOSIS
While it’s the most common mineral found in the earth’s crust, it is not meant to be inhaled. It’s crystalline silica that you’re rubbing in and out of your toes when you’re having a fun day with family and friends at the beach. It’s one of the minerals found in sand and its 100 times smaller than one simple grain. We spit it out when it ends up in our ice-cold beer and we encounter it in many other ways. Simply knowing how common it is found in the earth’s crust might make it sound harmless. But many natural substances are undoubtedly dangerous when mass amounts are inhaled or ingested.
We can’t stop the 2.3 million Americans who are exposed to this chemical from going to work every day. Unfortunately, many may end up in the hospital due to the exposure. But when it comes to tile floor removal, there is a solution that will capture 99.97% of the dust created at the source. Here are the four most commonly found diseases in those exposed to crystalline silica:
-Lung Cancer
-Silicosis
-Kidney Disease
-COPD
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Asbestos VS. Silica Dust
Photo Credit: CDC
Asbestos is a group of fibrous silicate minerals that belong to amphiboles (brown asbestos), serpentine (white asbestos), tremolite, crocidolite (blue asbestos), actinolite, and anthophyllite. While amphiboles are thinner and more rod-like fibers, serpentine fibers are pliable and curly. However, amphiboles are deemed the most cancer-causing. Certainly, there are more minerals considered as asbestiform but the ones mentioned above are the most common.
Deemed Carcinogenic
Asbestos minerals, chemically speaking, are compounds of silicate which means they have atoms of oxygen and silicon in their unique molecular structure. According to NIOSH or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, asbestos is carcinogenic, in all of its respective forms.
Serious Health Hazards
Silica on the other hand consists of 1 atom of silicon and 2 atoms of oxygen. Silica molecules will form a 3-dimensional repeating pattern while in the silica st ate. But when silica is in the amorphous state, molecules will form random patterns. You can find crystalline silica in basically all types of rock. There are serious health hazards that come with exposure to silica dust such as COPD, Silicosis, lung cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune diseases, and more.
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DustRam® Revolutionizes Flooring Removal by
Introducing a Truly Dust Free Method to the Industry
At DustRam®, we promise to deliver a clean tile removal every time. One that’s timely and scheduled at a time that works for you. Our dust ends up in sealed bins put up for disposal instead of inside your lungs where they can pose a problem to your entire respiratory system. We’d rather put that trash in an inanimate object where it belongs.
It works through proprietary vacuum technology that truly keeps your home or business free of what can cause advanced lung disease when you get older. When the removal process is through, it’s carefully sanded for the introduction of new flooring. Whether it be more tile, carpet, or wood, DustRam® can help with the preparation without you having to worry about all that ickiness ending up in your lungs.
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DustRam® Certifies Tile Removal Contractors
Ending Exposure to Cancer-Causing Silica Dust
Lung cancer is the biggest risk to those who work floor removal industry. Getting trained to use the DustRam® system of dust-free tile removal will help prevent exposing the ones you care about, to silica dust. DustRam® offers the equipment and training that enables contractors around the nation to provide clean dust free flooring removal solutions. We are the only certifying entity in the nation that trains contractors to provide dustless tile removal to commercial and residential property owners.
Bringing You the Best Technology in the World
DustRam® was made possible using 3D printing. Its 2008 founder Jack King created parts so intricately made that the nylon it’s made of can withstand the beating of the titanium its neighbor is created out it without the scatter of dangerous silica dust. The fact that it’s 3D printed and made of a more modest material makes it easier to obtain.
Flooring Removal Done Easy and Without the Dust
People have been trusting the only dust-free tile removal system that captures 99.97% of silica dust at production. DustRam® has led the flooring removal industry and introduced the idea and method of dustless tile removal since 2008. That’s over 12 years of experience helping homeowners and contractors achieve their dreams of tile replacement without the hazards to their health caused by a dangerous substance known as crystalline silica.
For the latest news and trends on all things tile flooring removal, make sure to browse our blog. To find a dustless tile removal contractor, check out the contractor page.
