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Can Cement Dust Inhalation Cause Death..

Could inhalation of a large amount of cement dust cause respiratory failure in a COPD patient which then could lead to death?  
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242587 tn?1355424110
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The following is a brief summary of the health hazards of cement dust.

Beneath that is an official statement from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.  You may wish to contact them directly for further information.

As with all potentially toxic inhalants, the degree of lung damage will be in proportion to the intensity and duration of exposure.  Individuals with underlying COPD may be more sensitive to the toxic effects because of impairment (by COPD) of the clearing mechanisms that, in the case of normal lungs, might be better able to clear the cement from your lungs.

It would be wise for you to contact your local Department of Public Health for further recommendations regarding diagnosis, assessment of the cumulative lung damage and possible therapy.  And, all further exposure to cement or any lung irritants must be avoided.

Good luck
Health hazards of cement dust.
Author information
• Department of Physiology (29), College of Medicine, King Khalid University, PO Box 2925, Riyadh 11461, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ***@****
Abstract
Even in the 21st century, millions of people are working daily in a dusty environment. They are exposed to different types of health hazards such as fume, gases and dust, which are risk factors in developing occupational disease. Cement industry is involved in the development of structure of this advanced and modern world but generates dust during its production. Cement dust causes lung function impairment, chronic obstructive lung disease, restrictive lung disease, pneumoconiosis and carcinoma of the lungs, stomach and colon. Other studies have shown that cement dust may enter into the systemic circulation and thereby reach the essentially all the organs of body and affects the different tissues including heart, liver, spleen, bone, muscles and hairs and ultimately affecting their micro-structure and physiological performance. Most of the studies have been previously attempted to evaluate the effects of cement dust exposure on the basis of spirometry or radiology, or both. However, collective effort describing the general effects of cement dust on different organ and systems in humans or animals, or both has not been published. Therefore, the aim of this review is to gather the potential toxic effects of cement dust and to minimize the health risks in cement mill workers by providing them with information regarding the hazards of cement dust.
PMID:
15448758
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

www.osha.gov
Pocket Guide
Worker Safety Series
Concrete Manufacturing

Concrete Manufacturing
 More than 250,000 people work in concrete manufacturing.
 Over 10 percent of those workers - 28,000 - experienced a job-related injury or illness and 42 died in just one year.
 Potential hazards for workers in concrete manufacturing:
Eye, skin and respiratory tract irritation from exposure to cement dust;
Inadequate safety guards on equipment;
Inadequate lockout/tagout systems on machinery;
Overexertion and awkward postures;
Slips, trips and falls; and
Chemical burns from wet concrete.

Hazards & Solutions

Manufacturing concrete can pose health and safety risks for the worker. For concrete manufacturing, the 10 OSHA standards most frequently included in the agency's citations were:
1. Hazard communication
2. Lockout/tagout
3. Confined spaces
4. Respiratory protection
5. Guarding floor & wall openings and holes
6. Electrical wiring methods
7. Noise exposure
8. Forklifts
9. Electrical systems design
10. Machine guarding

Cement Dust

Hazard: Exposure to cement dust can irritate eyes, nose, throat and the upper respiratory system. Skin contact may result in moderate irritation to thickening/cracking of skin to severe skin damage from chemical burns. Silica exposure can lead to lung injuries including silicosis and lung cancer.

Solutions:
 Rinse eyes with water if they come into contact with cement dust and consult a physician.
 Use soap and water to wash off dust to avoid skin damage.
 Wear a P-, N- or R-95 respirator to minimize inhalation of cement dust.
 Eat and drink only in dust-free areas to avoid ingesting cement dust.

Wet Concrete

Hazard: Exposure to wet concrete can result in skin irritation or even first-, second- or third-degree chemical burns. Compounds such as hexavalent chromium may also be harmful.

Solutions:
 Wear alkali-resistant gloves, coveralls with long sleeves and full-length pants, waterproof boots and eye protection.
 Wash contaminated skin areas with cold, running water as soon as possible.
 Rinse eyes splashed with wet concrete with water for at least 15 minutes and then go to the hospital for further treatment.

Machine Guarding

Hazard: Unguarded machinery used in the manufacturing process can lead to worker injuries.

Solutions:
 Maintain conveyor belt systems to avoid jamming and use care in clearing jams.
 Ensure that guards are in place to protect workers using mixers, block makers, cubers and metalworking machinery such as rebar benders, cutters and cage rollers.
 Establish and follow effective lockout/tagout procedures when servicing equipment.
 Be sure appropriate guards are in place on power tools before using them.

Falling Objects

Hazard: Workers may be hit by falling objects from conveyor belt systems, elevators or concrete block stacking equipment.

Solutions:
 Avoid working beneath cuber elevators, conveyor belts and stacker/destacker machinery.
 Stack and store materials properly to limit the risk of falling objects.
 Wear eye protection when chipping and cleaning forms, products or mixers.

Poor Ergonomics

Hazard: Improper lifting, awkward postures and repetitive motions can lead to sprains, strains and other musculoskeletal disorders.

Solutions:
 Use handtrucks or forklifts when possible.
 Lift properly and get a coworker to help if a product is too heavy.
 Avoid twisting while carrying a load. Shift your feet and take small steps in the direction you want to turn.
 Keep floors clear to avoid slipping and tripping hazards.
 Avoid working in awkward postures.

Confined Spaces

Hazard: Mixers and ready-mix trucks have confined spaces that pose safety risks for workers.

Solutions:
 Follow established procedures for confined space entry and work to assure safety.
 Guard against heat stress when cleaning truck mixer drums.
 Wear appropriate protective equipment to avoid silica exposure when removing concrete residues from inside truck mixer drums.

Vehicles

Hazard: Poorly maintained or improperly handled vehicles can lead to crushing injuries at the plant site or other injuries for truck drivers.

Solutions:
 Make sure back-up alarms on all vehicles are functioning.
 Avoid overloading cranes and hoists.
 Use care with the load out chute on concrete mixers to avoid injuries to hands and fingers.
 Beware of hot surfaces on equipment and truck components.
 Guard eyes against splashes of aggregate materials during loading and unloading.
 Use hearing protection if needed to guard against excessive noise exposure during cement loading/unloading and while using pneumatic chippers inside truck mixer drums.

Other Hazards
 Welding operations can lead to flash burns.
 Makeshift ladders, platforms and stairs with improper or no guardrails make falls more likely.
 Workers can also be injured by falling concrete forms if the forms are improperly chocked, braced or cribbed.



Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
Thank you very much for your response and information. It is greatly appreciated.  It has been very difficult trying to locate an expert, at the very least, provide direction or review my mother's medical records to provide expert testimony or thoughts regarding the inhalation of cement dust to someone with a compromised breathing condition.  I understand the medical accountability and responsibility a professional may jeopardize, but we have just been in need to have someone provide another point of view. The defense team experts make statements arguing the inhalation of dust makes no difference to someone with COPD. Sadly, our lawyer suffered heart issue and resigned, his partner which took over, is a criminal lawyer and his research skills or medical knowledge is weak. My sister and I are handling this aspect of the case on our own.    By any means, thank you for your response, I can't tell you how helpful and much it means.  

Jamie Baker
Helpful - 0

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