cancer for a worker exposed from age 20 to 65 at 0.1 mg/m respirable crystalline silica (the permissible level in many countries) was 1.1-1.7%, above background risks of 3-6%.
Conclusions: Our results support the decision by the IARC to classify inhaled silica in occupational settings as a carcinogen, and suggest that current exposure limits in many countries may be inadequate. These data represent the first quantitative exposure-response analysis and risk assessment for silica using data from multiple studies.