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Old 04-09-2008, 08:14 PM
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Mikeyy Mikeyy is offline
First-graft Pearl
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Canyon Lake, California
Posts: 471
Quote:
Originally Posted by danachit View Post
I was wondering if drilling pearls created an occupational hazard from inhaling pearl dust...sort of like black lung disease from coal dust...

What precautions does the industry take to keep people from getting 'pearl lung'?

Are there any other hazards of the industry?
I've heard a couple of stories about lung damage due to shell carving without proper ventilation. These days there is usually suction vents right where they are carving. One old shell carver from Broome was supposed to have died from breathing the dust over a long time.
But that is much more dust then you will raise from drilling pearls.
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