"The objective is to reduce airborne respirable dust generated from emptying dry dust collectors on small truck-mounted drills used at surface coal mines. Exposure to crystalline silica dust during rock drilling can cause respiratory disease. The U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently issued a NOSH Alert, "Request for Assistance in Preventing Silicosis and Deaths in Rock Drillers'(DHHS (NIOSH) 92-107). In this report, NIOSH documents numerous cases of acute, accelerated, and chronic silicosis in surface mine drill operators. The workers affected are as young as 25 years old, and many are only in their 30's. Niosh concluded that the disease stems from inadequate dust controls on many small mobile rock drills." - NIOSHTIC-2 NIOSHTIC no. 20023041

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health