Forty Years of NIOSH/USBM-Developed Control Technology to Reduce Respirable Dust Exposure for Miners in Industrial Minerals Processing Operations

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cecala, Andrew B. ; Colinet, Jay F. ; Haas, Emily J. ; Louk AK ; Patts, Justin R.
• Description:
  In May 1994, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) considered crystalline silica to be a potential occupational carcinogen as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) carcinogen policy [29 CFR 1990], and this information was used in establishing the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) at 50 micro g/m3. NIOSH has long realized that occupational overexposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust can lead to the development of silicosis, an incurable and often fatal lung disease, but it can also result in health problems that include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic renal disease. Probably the most significant occupational travesty that brought focus to the effects of silicosis was the Hawk's Nest Tunnel Disaster in southern West Virginia where a 4.83-km (3-mile) tunnel was driven through the Gauley Mountain. The material being removed during the mining of this tunnel for the development of a hydroelectric power plant was a sandstone and limestone ore containing very high levels of crystalline silica. Within months of the completion of this work, 476 of the workers died from acute silicosis. This acute silicosis was caused by extremely high respirable dust concentrations while driving this tunnel and was attributed to inconsistent dust-control methods, including poor ventilation and minimal use of water, not allowing the dust to settle after blasting occurred before workers returned back inside the tunnel and no use of respiratory protection. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Dust Lung Diseases Minerals Mining Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Respiratory Protective Devices Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Silicon Dioxide
• Keywords:
  Control Technology Crystalline Silica Lung Disease Mineral Processing Miners Mining Industry Occupational Exposure Respirable Dust Respiratory Protection Respiratory Protective Equipment Silica Dusts Silicosis Tunneling Tunnel Workers

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• Series:
  Mining Publications
• ISSN:
  0026-5187
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  PMRD - Pittsburgh Mining Research Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  28-41
• Volume:
  72
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20060091
• Citation:
  Min Eng 2020 Jun; 72(6):28-41
• Email:
  acecala@cdc.gov
• CAS Registry Number:
  Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2020
• NORA Priority Area:
  Mining
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Mining Engineering
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a6f24a756d6cfaed2a790b71df91d7f9a8f7ba0e5d99ad9c3a613116c8fb504d305077d8d84fb562146092351e12c51f9e252e9a590e09f8a8144a9030aec2ce
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/215303/cdc_215303_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 422.02 KB ]