A regulation that would reduce a miner’s exposure to deadly silica dust by 50% was announced earlier this year by the Mine Safety and Health Administration.
A guideline set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration called the permissible exposure limit puts a “limit on the amount or concentration of a substance in the air” to help workers avoid inhaling high amounts of unhealthy substances, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Associated Press said the administration’s new rule would reduce the permissible exposure limit for inhalable crystalline silica, or silica dust, from 100 to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air measured for an 8-hour shift in coal, metal and nonmetal mines such as sand and gravel.
“If a miner’s exposure exceeds the limit, the proposed rule would require operators to take immediate corrective actions to come into compliance,” the announcement said.
What is black lung disease?
According to the American Lung Association, “coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP), commonly known as ‘black lung disease,’ occurs when coal dust is inhaled,” and over time, the dust scars the lungs and impairs the ability to breathe.
The announcement said that inhaling unhealthy levels of silica can cause severe illnesses, including:
- Silicosis.
- Emphysema.
- Kidney disease.
- Lung cancer.
- Black lung disease, when mixed with coal mine dust.
The Associated Press reported that in recent years, as coal becomes less accessible, miners are cutting through more rock and are exposed to more silica dust in the process — which is 20 times more toxic than coal dust.
NPR quoted Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health Chris Williamson: “The purpose of this proposed rule is simple: prevent more miners from suffering from debilitating and deadly occupational illnesses by reducing their exposure to silica dust. Silica overexposures have a real-life impact on a miner’s health.”
“One former regulator called the lack of protection from silica-related illnesses ‘stunning’ and one of the most ‘catastrophic’ occupational health failures in U.S. history,” per The Associated Press.
The Associated Press reported that Cecil Roberts, president of the United Mine Workers of America, said, “There’s no reason a 35-year-old miner should be diagnosed with a disease ‘that’s going to cost him his life,’” and “Nobody should be dying because of a job they have.”
How do you treat black lung disease?
The Cleveland Clinic said while a lung transplant may resolve patients’ black lung disease, no cure is available. Treatments to help patients feel better include oxygen therapy and taking medications meant to open airways and soothe inflammation.
“The proposal also includes other requirements to protect miners’ health — such as exposure sampling — and medical surveillance at no cost for metal and nonmetal miners,” the announcement said.