Coal mining is an important part of the U.S. economy. In 2017, about 30% of our electricity was generated by coal-fired power plants. Coal is also used to make steel and in manufacturing many types of products. And anyone who watches the news knows how important the jobs and income provided by coal mining are to our country’s coal mining regions.
The mining of coal involves a lot of hard work in inherently risky settings. Those who operate and work in coal mines must constantly be on guard against a range of hazards, including respirable coal mine dust. The NIOSH Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP), which provides respiratory health screenings to coal miners, reminded us of this in a September report. It found that the most recent national prevalence of pneumoconiosis (black lung) in coal miners with 25 years or more tenure who participate in CWHSP screenings is 10%. The prevalence of black lung for these long-tenured miners in central Appalachia (Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia) is 20%.