Safety for Coal Miners Increasing February 2016 On February 1st , 2016 the MSHA’s Phase II went into effect. This rule increases the reporting of respirable coal mine dust from five samples every two months to fifteen samples every quarter and requires underground operators to wear the latest in personal dust monitoring equipment, the Continuous Personal Dust Monitor (CPDM), a preventative and reporting measure very much like that of radiograph technicians that reports in real‐time the current and accumulated exposure. Exposed personnel will also have access to the most recent CPDM sampling results within 12 hours and personnel with symptoms of black lung, or pneumoconiosis, will have access to the latest results within one hour of their next work shift. These increased safety measures are in response to the End Black Lung‐ACT NOW campaign and the increasing benefits to workers’ safety are evidenced by the data. Dust concentration has been steadily falling each year, as reported by the U.S. Department of Labor MSHA. Quartz dust MSHA average concentration fell 50% from 2009 to 2015 and coal dust MSHA average concentration and operator average concentration fell 17% during the same time. This reduction is aiding in reducing the incidence of black lung, a disease still very firmly affecting present miners as confirmed by the nearly 20,000 new black lung claims filed with the Federal Office of Workers Compensation Programs since 2010.
Increased safety measures implemented by the new rule aim to provide a healthier work environment and better long‐term career trajectories for coal miners. If these measures are successful, a significant decrease should be seen in black lung cases over the next few years.