

Chief State Medical Examiner
1979 - 2013
Silicosis, an occupational lung disease, has been a significant public health concern in New Jersey (NJ) due to the use of silica in many industry processes, including: foundries, potteries, mines and, increasingly construction work. In response to this concern, the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) developed a silicosis surveillance system in 1979. This work was funded for many years by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
There is generally a 20-year lag time between exposure to silica dust and development of chronic silicosis. This is a challenge to timely disease prevention. Shifting the focus of NJDOH outreach to real-time hazard prevention efforts has helped NJ industries at risk to reduce and eliminate exposure to silica dust, the primary means to reduce and eliminate cases of silicosis.
Silicosis Publications in the Scientific Literature (co-authored by staff of the NJDOH Occupational Health Surveillance Unit)
Confirmation of silicosis cases remains a labor-intensive process. Interventions remain challenging due to the latency period between exposure and the onset of disease. Yet, maintains the focus of even a small number of public health workers on silicosis surveillance has proven effective in identifying sentinel industries and occupations at risk. Industry-wide outreach efforts were possible because of the capacity within the states and NIOSH to collaborate and develop industry-specific prevention information. Moreover, complicated issues related to silica exposure yet require action. There include the rising use of transient workers, day laborers and contract workers, longer work shifts, language barriers and desperation for jobs. NJDOH will continue to build on the experience and knowledge gained in silcosis surveillance to identify, confirm and prevent cases of other known and emerging occupational diseases.