Dust exposures at U.S. surface coal mines in 1982-1983.
Exposures to British Mining Research Establishment corrected respirable dust and respirable quartz at U.S. surface coal mines during 1982-1983 were evaluated from coal mine operator and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) inspector samples. The average respirable quartz concentration from inspector samples ranged from .34-.49 mg/m3 for drilling jobs and .18 mg/m3 for bulldozer operators. For most other surface coal mine jobs, the average respirable quartz concentration was less than .1 mg/m3, and the average respirable dust concentration was less than 2 mg/m3. The results from the analysis of quartz exposures are consistent with epidemiological results for an increased silicosis risk among drillers. It is unclear, however, whether the MSHA samples provide a representative estimate of the average annual quartz concentration for drillers. Results suggest the need for a greater number of quartz samples to be taken on strip coal miners, particularly on drillers and bulldozer operators.
Amandus
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Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV.
Piacitelli
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D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D003032:Coal Mining; D004391:Dust / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011791:Quartz / Q000032:analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012829:Silicosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014481:United States
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004391:Dust; D011791:Quartz