Workshop: Silica Exposure and Lung Disease in the Mining Industry

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Day 1 - October 22
Day 2 - October 23

October 22-23, 2020

The Silica Exposure and Lung Disease in the Mining Industry workshop was hosted by the NIOSH-MSHA Respirable Mine Dust Partnership.

This virtual workshop was offered through the Zoom videoconferencing platform.

Agenda

Click on presentation title links below to view the presented slides in PDF format. Presentation file hosting courtesy of the Joseph A. Holmes Safety Association website.

Day 1 - October 22

Time (EDT)	Session	Presenter
9:00-9:15 a.m.	Opening comments, introductions, review of administrative matters	Jessica Kogel, NIOSH Patricia Silvey, MSHA
9:15-9:45 a.m.	Overview and review of MSHA dust sampling	David Zatezalo, MSHA
9:45-10:30 a.m.	Respirable dust and silica exposure in mining
	Exploring respirable silica particle size and surface condition	Emily Sarver
	Investigation of silica dust toxicity based on particle characteristics and exposure dose	Katherine Zychowski
	Evidence for silica exposure contributing to pneumoconiosis among modern working underground coal miners	Noemi Hall
10:30-10:40 a.m.	Break
10:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.	Recent studies on respirable disease among miners related to exposure to RCS
	Characterization of particulates in Australian mines - Video recording of presentation	Nikky LaBranche
	From large administrative databases to individual clinics’ experiences: Multiple data sources all point to an increase in progressive massive fibrosis among coal miners	A. Scott Laney
	Advanced investigation of mineral phases present in respirable mine dust using principal component analysis	Rachel Lee Tani Walker Lauren Chubb Emanuele Cauda

Day 2 - October 23

Time (EDT)	Session	Presenter
9:00-9:15 a.m.	Dust exposures in mining	Tim Watkins
9:15-10:30 a.m.	Collecting, measuring, and analyzing RCS samples
	Development of a direct sensing sampler for submicron mining particles including coal, silica and nano-sized diesel particulates	Candace Tsai
	Towards hybrid microfluidic solutions for real-time silica detection in underground coal mines	Igor Paprotny
	Field-based monitoring techniques for respirable dust and crystalline silica: A case study in a sandstone quarry	Emanuele Cauda
	Low-cost dust sensors in mining: Initial results and future research	Justin Patts
10:30-10:45 a.m.	Break
10:45-11:30 a.m.	Current and proven technologies to reduce miners' exposure to RCS
	Emerging respirable dust control technologies for continuous mining sections	Jay Colinet
	Reducing exposure of roof bolter operators to dust in coal mines and cab filtration for controlling dust exposure in metal non-metal mines	Tim Burgess
	Enhanced health surveillance for selected employee groups	Chad Barras Matt Pederson-Howard
11:35 a.m.-12:00 p.m.	Workforce engagement & empowerment
	A virtual "community of practice" approach by rural stakeholders in managing pneumoconiosis in the United States	Akshay Sood
	Use of clothes cleaning systems and Helmet-CAM to protect worker’s health	Andrew O’Brien
12:00-12:15 p.m.	Discussion of path forward and next steps