The Federal Coal Mine Safety and Health Act was passed 50 years ago. Years later, the safety and health of coal miners remains a serious challenge. In fact, the old dangers of coal mining are still very present, and recent coal company bankruptcies have left some miners concerned over their healthcare coverage. Today, more and more coal miners continue to contract black lung disease and other complications.
According to Dr. Michael McCauley, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences at the University of West Virginia, the coal output of the US has not dropped significantly since as far back as the 1980s. While America’s coal output hasn’t changed much in the last few decades, the number of workers employed in the industry has dropped significantly. The drop in employment is due to technological updates in the industry such as widespread “long wall mining,” a more efficient mining practice. At first, there were clear improvements; 30 years after the first Federal Coal Mine Safety and Health Act, cases of black lung disease had been dropping to new lows. However, after 2000, an uptick in black lung cases was noticed.
There are a few reasons for the increase in cases of black lung disease. The machines used to mine coal have become more powerful, and need fewer miners to operate them. When fewer miners are producing more coal, the amount of coal dust the miners are exposed to increases. Furthermore, modern mining equipment can cut through rock faster, exposing miners to more Silica, which causes further health complications.
Going forward, experts hope to employ safer equipment and regulations, with an emphasis on better sampling and newer, electronic equipment.
