What Are The Risk Factors For Siderosis?

Steel Industry

The raw form of iron is extracted from solid earth material obtained from the mining and multiple refining processes. After it has been mined and refined, it has to be reduced in a blast furnace. The iron ores are mixed with raw materials, and hot air blasted into the furnace melts it all down together. The pure iron sinks to the bottom, while the raw materials form a layer on top. This process produces iron oxide fumes that come in contact with numerous steelworkers. Workers have to separate the resulting sludge from the iron before it is sent to another facility for further processing. The iron compounds are then used in a manufacturing plant to fabricate products, often through the process of casting. Workers in the steel industry that deal with casting steel are at a higher risk of siderosis because casting involves the use of heat to melt the steel so it can be poured into a mold. Although the iron has been purified at this point, the fumes produced when the iron-containing material is heated and melted can be inhaled into an individual's lungs and cause inflammation.

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