Occupational Safety and Health Implications of Increased Coal Utilization.

NIOSH

NIOSH 1977 Dec:44 pages

00185299

The health and safety record in underground and surface coal mines, and in coal fired power facilities was reviewed in order to estimate the effects of potential increases in coal utilization. Studies have indicated that underground coal miners have experienced increased mortality from occupationally induced lung disease and accidental deaths; there may also be increased mortality from stomach cancer. Occupationally induced hearing loss was commonly found in underground miners. Longwall mining and the use of diesel powered mining equipment were mining technologies in increasing use which may present additional health hazards. Surface miners have experienced less respiratory disease than underground miners, and noise has been less of a hazard in surface mines. Exposure to heat and cold presented hazards in surface mining which may be amenable to control technology. Studies among workers in coal fired power facilities indicated that exposures to noise, heat, coal dust, asbestos (1332214), fly ash and sulfur-dioxide (7446095) were potential problems. The authors conclude that without strong preventive measures, increasing coal production cannot be achieved without incurring additional costs in occupationally induced disease, job related disabling injuries and accidental deaths.

Coal-mining; Mining-industry; Coal-workers; Coal-dust; Asbestos-products; Noise-exposure; Dust-inhalation; Coal-workers-pneumoconiosis; Pulmonary-system-disorders; Underground-mining; Electric-power-generation;

1332-21-4; 7446-09-5;

19771215

1978

PB89-165195

A04

Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Disease and Injury; Pulmonary-system-disorders;

NIOSH, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Rockville, Maryland, 44 pages, 90 references

MD;