Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program

The NIOSH Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP)  was established by the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 (amended in 1977). The program studies the causes and effects of respiratory diseases related to coal mine dust exposure.

Black Lung Screenings
Mobile screenings

Black lung screenings are provided by the NIOSH staff who travel the U.S. in state-of-the-art mobile testing units. Screenings include:

2023 Schedule

Location

Location

Location

Date

Date

Date

Time

Time

Time

Bear Run Mine – 7255 Country Rd 600, Carlisle, IN 47838 (Company miners only)

Location

Bear Run Mine – 7255 Country Rd 600, Carlisle, IN 47838 (Company miners only)

April 17-20

Date

April 17-20

7am-5pm

Time

7am-5pm

Longview Occupational Medical Clinic – 3202 Fourth St, Longview, TX 75605

Location

Longview Occupational Medical Clinic – 3202 Fourth St, Longview, TX 75605

April 24

April 25

Date

April 24

April 25

8am-4:30pm

8am-12pm

Time

8am-4:30pm

8am-12pm

Kosse Strip Mine – 4731 TX-7, Kosse, TX 76653 (Company miners only)

Location

Kosse Strip Mine – 4731 TX-7, Kosse, TX 76653 (Company miners only)

April 26-28

Date

April 26-28

7am-5pm

Time

7am-5pm

Holiday Inn Express Jourdanton – 350 Medical Dr, Jourdanton, TX 78026

Location

Holiday Inn Express Jourdanton – 350 Medical Dr, Jourdanton, TX 78026

May 1

Date

May 1

8am-4:30pm

Time

8am-4:30pm

San Miguel Lignite Mine – 9200 Peeler Ln, Christine, TX 78012 (Company miners only)

Location

San Miguel Lignite Mine – 9200 Peeler Ln, Christine, TX 78012 (Company miners only)

May 2-4

Date

May 2-4

7am-5pm

Time

7am-5pm

Announcements for black lung screenings are made through NIOSH press releases, Facebook , and Twitter.  Announcements are also made through local newspapers and radio stations.

Clinic screenings

Black lung screenings are provided at NIOSH-approved clinics located in mining regions across the U.S. Information about facilities can be found at NIOSH Approved Facility Search and Map.

Coal Mining Respiratory Diseases

Coal mining-related respiratory diseases are caused by breathing in coal mine dust.

Pneumoconiosis

Pneumoconiosis refers to scarring of lung tissue when breathing in mineral dusts. The primary types of pneumoconiosis seen in coal miners are coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (also called black lung), silicosis and mixed dust pneumoconiosis. is another type of pneumoconiosis, usually seen in other work settings. For more information on the following lung diseases see Pneumoconiosis.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a lung disease that can impair movement of air into and out of the lungs. It can also impair the ability of the lungs to take up oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the body. COPD includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

For more information see the CDC COPD web page. To learn about work-related COPD through interviews with a physician and patients diagnosed with the disease see the video Faces of Work-related COPD.

Special Notice
Part 90

The U.S. Department of Labor announced an effort to raise awareness of regulations that give coal miners with development of pneumoconiosis, or black lung, the right to work at a section of a mine with lower levels of dust without having their pay reduced or fearing discrimination or termination. Learn more at Miner Health Matters.

National Autopsy Study

The Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to provide coal miner autopsies and to pay for their submission to NIOSH. Please refer to Specification for Medical Examinations of Coal Miners Subpart Autopsies for information on payment for autopsy, autopsy specifications, and procedures for obtaining payment. At this time, funding is not available to pay for autopsies.

Related Resources
Contact

NIOSH Respiratory Disease Division
1000 Frederick Lane, Morgantown, WV 26508
CWHSP@cdc.gov | 1-888-480-4042