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Another worker dies of lung disease silicosis
Erhan Kaya became the 40th Turkish sandblaster to die from silicosis thus far. Kaya, 34, died earlier this week, after suffering from the disease for around nine years. Silicosis, also known as grinder's disease, is a form of occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust, and is marked by inflammation and scarring in the form of nodular lesions in the lungs.
As manually sandblasted jeans and denim became popular among youth in Turkey and abroad, illegal and unregistered workshops popped up all over the country to exploit the increasing demand.
It is estimated that some 3,000-5,000 people have contracted silicosis in Turkey, though just over 500 patients have actually been diagnosed with the disease so far.
Mehmet Bekir, a friend of Kaya who himself was also diagnosed with silicosis, said he worked approximately 12 hours a day with Kaya in a sandblasting workshop for 10 years. "Kaya was earning TL 900 a month and I was earning TL 550. Our job was to sandblast denim material. Everything was filled with sand where we were working. We were wearing masks, but they were not enough to protect our lungs," Bekir said.
He explained that Kaya was diagnosed with silicosis in 2000 and stopped working six years later. "I was laid off in 2007. I was coughing all the time and had difficulty walking around. I had difficulty breathing. I am using many pills every day now. A doctor told me that 27 percent of my lungs have been destroyed. Along with 180 other friends, I sued the workshop where I was working two years ago. Our disease is fatal and we have nothing to lose. They should be called to account because of what they did to us," Bekir added.
Singers gather for sandblasters in İstanbul
Famous Turkish singers have joined forces with laborers diagnosed with the deadly lung disease. Veteran folk singer Arif Sağ and rocker Cahit Berkay, long-running folksong ensemble Kardeş Türküler, alternative rock band Mor ve Ötesi and the dancers of the Anadolu Ateşi (Fire of Anatolia) dance company took to the stage on Wednesday for a charity concert at İstanbul's Mustafa Kemal Culture Center (MKM) in the Akatlar district. The concert, titled "Sesimiz Nefesimiz" (Our Voice, Our Breath), was organized by the Denim Sandblasting Workers Solidarity Committee. All proceeds from ticket sales will be used to cover the medical expenses of Turkish sandblasters diagnosed with silicosis, as well as the legal expenses of seeking justice against the owners of these illegal workshops.
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