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The Use of Diesel Engines in Underground Coal Mining: The NIOSH Viewpoint.

Baier E

NIOSH 1982 Oct:1-5

00185374

Research activities of NIOSH pertaining to using diesel engines in underground coal mines were discussed. NIOSH was conducting several research projects in response to a request by the Mining Enforcement and Safety Administration (MESA) to determine whether diesel engines should be prohibited in underground coal mines in the United States because of adverse health effects. These included a joint project with MESA to investigate the effects of diesel exhaust and silica on 5,000 noncoal miners working underground and a retrospective cohort mortality study of 12,600 noncoal miners. Medical and environmental data obtained in five coal mines using diesel equipment were being analyzed. NIOSH was planning an experimental animal study of the effects of exposure to diesel exhaust and coal dust in the next fiscal year. It was noted that although NIOSH has not made a recommendation to MESA regarding whether or not diesel equipment should be used in underground coal mines, it has expressed concern, which has been interpreted in some quarters that a final recommendation has been made. Other concerns of NIOSH were mentioned. These include possible long term health effects from chronic exposure to combinations of diesel exhaust components and coal dust and the long term carcinogenic potential of these exposures. A transcript of a question and answer session was included.

NIOSH-Author; Coal-mining; Underground-mining; Diesel-engines; Diesel-exhausts; Occupational-health; Industrial-safety; Epidemiology; Risk-analysis

19821001

Conference/Symposia Proceedings

1983

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 82-122

Proceedings of a Workshop on the Use of Diesel Equipment in Underground Coal Mines, Morgantown, West Virginia, September 19-23, 1977; Morgantown, West Virginia, NIOSH

WV