Assessment of Pneumoconiosis in Surface Coal Miners After Implementation of a National Radiographic Surveillance Program, United States, 2014–2019

Details

• Personal Author:
  Blackley DJ ; Hall NB ; Halldin, Cara N. ; Laney AS
• Description:
  Background: Pneumoconiosis can occur in surface coal miners. The Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP) has only included surface coal miners as part of its regular disease surveillance since 2014. This analysis identifies the prevalence of pneumoconiosis among working surface coal miners participating in the CWHSP since their initial inclusion, through 2019. Methods: Working surface coal miners who had chest radiographs through the CWHSP from January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2019 were included in this analysis. Demographic information, mining tenure and occupation, and radiographic classifications according to the International Labour Office system were included from each miner's most recent encounter with the CWHSP. Prevalence ratios were calculated comparing the prevalence of the disease by region and occupation by log-binomial regression. Results: Pneumoconiosis was present in 109 (1.6%) surface coal miners, including 12 miners with progressive massive fibrosis, the most severe form of the disease. After taking surface mining tenure into account, surface miners in Central Appalachia (prevalence ratio [PR], 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2-4.7) and surface miners who worked as a driller or blaster (PR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.3-3.5) were at increased risk of pneumoconiosis. Conclusion: The occurrence of pneumoconiosis in surface coal miners supports including them within a systematic respiratory health surveillance program. The current surveillance findings are consistent with past findings of pneumoconiosis, particularly silicosis, in surface mining occupations such as drilling and blasting. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Coal Coal Mining Demography Dust Fibrosis Lung Lung Diseases Mining Occupational Diseases Occupational Health Pneumoconiosis Radiation Radiography Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Silicon Dioxide Silicosis

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• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Coal Mining Blasting Chest Radiography Coal Dust Coal Miners Coal Mining Coal Workers Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program CWHSP Demographic Characteristics Drilling Dusts Epidemiolog Lung Disease Lung Fibrosis Mineral Dusts Occupational Diseases Occupational Health Respiratory Diseases Risk Factors Silica Dusts Surface Mining Surveillance Surveillance Programs

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• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  RHD - Respiratory Health Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  63
• Issue:
  12
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20060872
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 2020 Dec; 63(12):1104-1108
• Contact Point Address:
  Noemi B. Hall, PhD, Surveillance Branch, Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1000 Frederick Ln, Morgantown, WV 26508, USA
• Email:
  nhall@cdc.gov
• CAS Registry Number:
  Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7) ; Silica (CAS RN 7631-86-9)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2021
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:140ebc982081f4121cacd055c24f6c2c62db643cc42a0d0fee6a58766e66d19f5d8d75acc3e1bf037e729f4ce03da41e7d45d0a77649e7bedfeef97300304732
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/224655/cdc_224655_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 400.12 KB ]