It can be found in materials like sand and rock, and building products like concrete and brick.

天然的沙、石，以及建築用的混凝土和磚頭都含有矽。

When a worker cuts, grinds, or drills materials that contain silica, dangerous crystalline silica dust is released into the air.

工人在切割、打磨和鑽那些含有矽的物料時，有害的矽塵會散播在空氣中。

As the worker breathes, silica crystals flow into his mouth and nose and down the air passages deep into the lungs.

工人吸入的矽塵就會從口和鼻進入氣管，深入肺部。

The tiny crystals enter the small fragile air sacs where oxygen is absorbed into the blood.

微小的矽塵會進入柔弱的肺氣囊裡面。這些氣囊負責把氧氣吸入血液內。

Immune system cells called macrophages engulf and try to dissolve the crystals, but they are unable to.

免疫系統的巨噬細胞會把矽塵吞噬，然後嘗試分解，但不成功。

Over time, more and more crystals build up inside the microphage cells.

隨著時日，愈來愈多矽塵會積聚在巨噬細胞裡面。

The macrophages carry the silica into the walls of the lung — where they die.

巨噬細胞把矽塵帶到肺部內壁去，然後細胞就會死亡。

Scar tissue forms around the dead cells and spreads as more cells die.

死去細胞的四周會結痂。愈多細胞死亡，結痂就會愈多。

This damage can continue even after the exposure to silica stops.

即使工人再沒有接觸矽塵，身體的損壞仍會不斷加劇。

Eventually, so much scar tissue forms that the lungs can no longer function.

最後，因為結痂太多的原故，肺部再不能運作。

For information on how to protect yourself from silica exposure, visit WorkSafeBC.com.

欲知更多關於保護自己免受矽塵傷害的資料，請瀏覽網址 WorkSafeBC.com。