Risk of mining-related lung disease varies by region, mine type, and safety observance
With the recent resurgence of the most severe form of black lung disease among coal miners, especially in central Appalachia, understanding and preventing exposure to the respirable, or inhalable, dust generated during the extraction of coal is paramount. Black lung is a form of pneumoconiosis, or scarring lung disease, caused by breathing in dust that can occur with exposure to respirable coal mine dust.
Understanding workplace factors that contribute to lung disease is complicated because symptoms of dust-induced lung disease often take years to become apparent. But in a first of its kind study, NIOSH investigators have taken a unique approach by looking at nearly two decades of information about compliance with health and safety regulations leading up to lung disease diagnoses among miners.