Outbreak of silicosis in Spanish quartz conglomerate workers.

Objectives: To describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of an outbreak of occupational silicosis and the associated working conditions.

Methods: Cases were defined as men working in the stone cutting, shaping, and finishing industry in the province of Cádiz, diagnosed with silicosis between July 2009 and May 2012, and were identified and diagnosed by the department of pulmonology of the University Hospital of Puerto Real (Cádiz). A census of workplaces using quartz conglomerates was carried out to determine total numbers of potentially exposed workers.