Occupational health: Workers chronically exposed to airborne mineral dusts in cement plants and limestone quarries are especially at risk of developing which disease?

Introduction / Context:
Industrial hygiene in cement manufacturing and limestone quarrying focuses on controlling respirable dusts. Prolonged inhalation of crystalline silica can lead to fibrotic lung disease, making dust control and personal protection vital.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Work environment with silica-bearing mineral dusts (limestone, shale, raw meal, clinker).
• Chronic exposure without adequate respiratory protection.
• Focus on the most characteristic occupational disease.

Concept / Approach:
Silicosis is a progressive, irreversible pneumoconiosis resulting from inhalation of respirable crystalline silica (e.g., quartz). Cement and quarry environments generate fine particles during crushing, grinding, and handling. Silica exposure leads to lung fibrosis, reduced gas exchange, and increased susceptibility to tuberculosis.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify dust composition: raw materials and clinker contain silica.Relate exposure to disease: long-term silica inhalation → silicosis.Differentiate from other conditions: while asthma and general respiratory irritation can occur, the signature occupational hazard is silicosis.

Verification / Alternative check:
Epidemiological data and occupational standards (e.g., exposure limits for crystalline silica) underline silicosis as a primary risk in mineral-processing industries.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Cancer: not the typical direct outcome of silica dust exposure in these settings (though some risks exist depending on co-exposures).
Asthma: possible irritant response, but not the hallmark chronic pneumoconiosis.
Fluorosis: linked to fluoride exposure, not typical of cement/limestone dust.

Common Pitfalls:
Underestimating respirable fraction control; ignoring housekeeping, enclosure, and wet suppression; relying solely on disposable masks instead of comprehensive controls.

Final Answer:
silicosis