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Title: The Federal Coal Mine Health Program in 1974--annual report (5th) of health activities under the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6749333

The health activities fulfilling NIOSH responsibilities under the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 are reported for the calendar year 1974. The extensive medical examination services coordinated at the NIOSH Appalachian Laboratory for Occupational Respiratory Diseases in Morgantown, West Virginia processed 46,896 chest x-rays of active underground coal miners by the end of 1974. According to partial results, 5,714 (over 13%) x-rays showed some evidence of coal workers' pneumoconiosis and progressive massive fibrosis was seen in 239 cases. By the end of 1974, 1,059 physicians had demonstrated competence in the use of the official classification systems for x-rays. Preliminary results from the second round of the National Study of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis in which 4,072 underground coal miners were examined showed a significantly lower prevalence of pneumoconiosis compared with the results from the first round completed in 1971. The National Coal Workers' Autopsy Service had accepted 628 post mortem examinations during 1974. Coal mine health research topics during 1974 are outlined.

Research Organization:
National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (USA)
OSTI ID:
6749333
Report Number(s):
PB-275593
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English