• Dr. Prakash Chand Sharma

In Rajasthan, the “Makrana-Ajmer-Beawar Industrial Region” of the Ajmer division is known for its concentrated growth of agro-mineral, metallurgical, and chemical-based industries. Beawar is one of the major industrial zone where stones are ground and milled as a raw material for ceramic industries. This study summarizes findings from 109 workers and 35 persons in control group. It was found that workers in units that primarily grind quartz are at a higher risk of occupational diseases due to their exposure to extremely high levels of silica. Workers involved in the collection process were found to be the most susceptible to severe dust-related diseases, this is due to the high severity of exposure. Collection (15.45〖" mg/m" 〗^3) and Bagging (12.94〖" mg/m" 〗^3) produce over 3 times more dust than dressing (3.30〖" mg/m" 〗^3). Along with respiratory morbidity, there is prevalence of non-respiratory morbidity among workers in this particular workplace. Approximately 39% of workers reported experiencing at least one respiratory issue, compared to only 15% in the control group. Prevalence of respiratory morbidity including shortness of breath (36%), acute coughing (28%), chronic coughing (31%), irritation in throat (15%) and chest congestion (14%) was observed among workers. However 55.96 percent workers reported no respiratory complaint. Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) including speech disturbance (44%) and hardness of hearing (20%) was also prevalent among stone grinders and millers. Skin related morbidity, however, not significant among workers (8%) when compared to control group. Nearly 56% workers reported one or more incidences of minor injuries during their job in last one year. Clinically proven cases of silicosis (9.2%), silico-tuberculosis (4.5%) and COPD (6.4%) were also revealed in the study.

Stone milling, shortness of breath, NIHL, Silicosis, COPD

"Silica Dust Exposure, Respiratory Illness, and Occupational Morbidity in Rajasthan’s Stone Grinding Industry", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 10, page no.b761-b765, October-2026, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2610176.pdf

"Silica Dust Exposure, Respiratory Illness, and Occupational Morbidity in Rajasthan’s Stone Grinding Industry", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 10, page no. ppb761-b765, October-2026, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2610176.pdf