The Alfred at the forefront of silicosis research

Silicosis is caused by inhaling dangerous silica fibers predominantly from cutting artificial stone benchtops. 

While production of these engineered benchtops has now been vastly reduced, the fallout for thousands of stonemasons and workers – mostly previously fit and healthy men aged in their 20s and 30s – is already established and will last for decades to come. 

Receiving a diagnosis of silicosis turned Glenn’s world upside down (pictured above).

Enjoying a first taste of stonemasonry during work experience in Year 10, Glenn took up an apprenticeship at the end of school “and never looked back”.

“I enjoyed the hands-on nature of it and seeing the finished result. It is rewarding,” he said.

Glenn first became aware of silicosis in 2015 and immediately went to his GP to start having annual x-rays, with results always coming back clear. That was until 2021 when WorkSafe Victoria encouraged him and his colleagues to get a CT scan at The Alfred.

The Alfred’s Occupational Respiratory Clinic, which operates in partnership with WorkSafe, is an Australian-first clinic for construction industry workers exposed to silica or diagnosed with silicosis, a deadly lung disease. It is the only service of its kind in a public hospital.

“When I was diagnosed, I nearly fell off my chair,” Glenn said. “I couldn’t believe it because I was always thorough. Safety came first.”

A stonemason for 16 years, Glenn suddenly had to quit. 

“I didn’t want to leave, I loved my job,” he said. “It turned my world upside down and I have been struggling with what comes next.

“But having the support of the teams here at The Alfred and WorkSafe does make a difference, and now I’m working on improving my health and focusing on what I want to do with myself in the future.

“I am very grateful for it. I just hope that other stonemasons come forward and get tested – I am sure there are many out there who are too nervous to do so.”

Donate today to support state-of-the-art respiratory equipment and help patients like Glenn breathe easier during The Alfred Tax Appeal.

Dr Ryan Hoy, respiratory and sleep disorders physician in The Alfred Occupational Respiratory Clinic, said once silica is inhaled into the lungs, the body tries to get rid of it but in doing so causes inflammation. This leads to scar tissue, which ultimately reduces the ability to get oxygen into the bloodstream and leads to symptoms including a worsening shortness of breath. 

“WorkSafe Victoria has been an invaluable partner to The Alfred in response to this epidemic of silicosis and have committed to help fund the respiratory clinic until 2026,” he said. “Since the identification of silicosis in the industry, The Alfred has been at the forefront of the issue in terms of research and management of patients with silicosis.” 

But while it has been all bad news to date, hope is on the horizon thanks to continuing research, the dedicated clinic and an exciting silicosis clinical trial program at The Alfred. 

"This is a critical time for so many patients who have developed silicosis through no fault of their own, just going about their day-to-day work," Dr Hoy said. "Research has identified drugs which may help, but clinical trials are urgently required to investigate their effectiveness. 

"We are very excited to establish a world-first silicosis clinical trial program at The Alfred." 

A pilot trial of common anti-inflammatory drug prednisolone is showing encouraging results. While it is not a long-term option due to potential side effects, the intent is to build on this knowledge for the next trial. Infliximab, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, will next be trialled led by The Alfred, with a view to expand across Australia and around the world. 

The use of engineered stone will be banned in Victoria from July 1, with employers not allowed to carry out work involving the manufacturing, supply, processing or installation of engineered stone.