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Officials warn against black lung rise

The Queensland commissioner for mine health and safety has identified Australia’s need to maintain high quality air standards in coal mines.
 The commissioner, Stewart Bell, has warned of the potential for the re-emergence of coal worker’s pneumoconiosis which is also known as black lung, amongst miners.
 It is caused by the inhalation and build up of coal dust in the lungs.
 Saying that thousands of American miners have died from the disease, Bell said Australia needs to ensure our safety levels do not slide.
 “We don't want people to take their eye off the ball here and we end up in five years time in a US situation, where we could have problems," he said.
 "The Americans have had thousands of cases of black lung in the last few years.”
 Between 2005 and 2006, the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), reported that almost 9% of miners with 25 or more years of working in coal mines tested positive for black lung, more than doubling since the late 1990s.
 This follows on the rise of silicosis, which is caused by silicia as opposed to coal dust, within the Australian mining industry.
 The Australian Workers Union recently held a forum to educate miners on the causes, outcomes and legal recourses arising from silicosis.
 The World Health Organisation is aiming to eradicate silicosis and pneumoconiosis by 2030.

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  • As an old Scottish Miner from UK, we were always adviced that it is the dust particles that you cannot see that do the damage

    Jack Dowds | 31 August 2010 at 8:35

  • I am astonished to read this article on black lung.I was brought up in the coal mining areas of Wales. We are still obviously in the dark ages yet we put a man on the moon over 40 years ago. Lest we forget.

    Tom Hadley | 3 September 2010 at 9:38

  • As large coal mines and ports move closer to Central Queensland towns, more fine PM2.5 coal dust particles will settle in the lungs of residents. No long-tern studies exist on long-term health impacts of chronic exposure to low concentrations of fine coal dust. Such places deserve continuous air quality monitoring of fine coal dust and more measures should be in place to eliminate such pollutants. Coal train wagons should also be covered.

    Patricia Julien | 6 September 2010 at 9:29

  • Patricia@9.29, I believe there have been many studies conducted in the USA by NIOSH and MHSA on the effects of inhalable and respirable dust on coal miners. If you read USA reports it is suggested between 1995 and 2005 approx 10,000 workers died from its effects with many others having substantial reduction in quality of life. New cases of "black lung" in the US are being identified at a rate of approx 1,000 each year.

    Rob | 14 September 2010 at 14:56

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