According to the CDC, millions of people are exposed to respirable crystalline silica, also called silica dust, within different occupations. One of these occupations is construction. Silica dust is tiny fragments that become airborne when cutting, drilling, sanding, chipping, etc. This is because the materials like sand, concrete, brick, stone, mortar, that are being used contain crystalline silica. Breathing silica dust over time can cause, Silicosis, an irreversible but preventable lung disease, is caused by inhalation of respirable silica dust. It can also cause other serious diseases like lung cancer.