World Lung Day: Calls for Greater Silicosis Awareness as Safety Expert Shares Father's Devastating Diagnosis

HULL, United Kingdom, Sept. 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading safety experts Arco Limited ("Arco") are calling for greater awareness of silicosis and improved health surveillance for workers exposed to silica dust this World Lung Day, following a Westminster roundtable that highlighted widespread underreporting, delayed diagnoses and preventable deaths linked to the disease.

To support the campaign, Arco employee and occupational health advocate Wendy Gaynor is sharing her father's personal experience of living with silicosis, a progressive and incurable lung disease caused by exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust.

Wendy says: “My dad, Sean, left school at 16 and spent decades working in construction, primarily in roofing and bricklaying.

“10 years ago, he started to experience breathlessness and found activities he’d once adored, such as hiking, increasingly difficult.”

When he sought medical help, he faced two years of scans and investigations before receiving his diagnosis.

“My dad was misdiagnosed with COPD, chronic bronchitis, angina and reduced lung capacity, but when doctors asked about his history of silica dust exposure, it triggered a series of lung function tests and they finally made the correct diagnosis,” Wendy adds.

Earlier this year, Arco facilitated a Westminster roundtable, chaired by Ian Lavery MP, bringing together occupational health specialists, policymakers and industry representatives to discuss the growing threat posed by silicosis in the UK workforce.

The event highlighted concerns around limited health surveillance, delayed diagnosis and low awareness of the risks associated with respirable crystalline silica dust exposure. Participants also discussed the need for earlier intervention to prevent workers from developing life-changing illness.

The discussions form part of Arco's ongoing commitment to raising awareness of occupational lung diseases and promoting safer working practices across high-risk industries.

“I was so young at the time, but I can still picture him walking through the front door, his clothes covered in a thick white covering of dust, like he’d been dunked in a bag of flour,” Wendy recalls.

“What I hadn’t realised as a child was that every day, the dust my dad brought home with him would eventually change the course of our lives.

“What made matters worse was hearing my dad admit there was nothing he could do to change his fate. He now faces an uncertain future, one that silicosis could deprive him of entirely.”

Evidence shared at Westminster revealed only a small minority of workers diagnosed with silicosis had ever undergone any form of workplace health surveillance, with some missing out on any form of monitoring for several decades.

Dr Johanna Feary, an Academic Consultant in Occupational Lung Disease at Royal Brompton Hospital, told attendees that the disease is often invisible in its early stages, meaning many workers are not diagnosed until irreversible damage has already been done.

Dr Feary said: “These are people who have no access to health surveillance.

“They're working where exposure is incredibly high, and they are a vulnerable population. A high proportion of them, I suspect, will die from their disease.

“To date, 9% of the people that I've seen have died, and there are a number being assessed for a lung transplant. Silicosis is asymptomatic in the early stages, so waiting for symptoms to appear before testing people means we’re going to miss cases.”

This harrowing evidence from Dr Feary has prompted growing calls for a national screening programme for workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica (RCS), to enable earlier detection and intervention.

Wendy adds: “My dad spent his life working hard to provide for our family. He taught me the value of dedication, resilience and taking pride in a job well done.

“Today, I hope his story can help others understand that no job should come at the cost of your health. Because while roofs can be rebuilt and repaired, damaged lungs cannot.”

Media Contact:
Jania Jones
jania@democracypr.com