Dust exposure and respiratory disease in U. S. coal miners. Doctoral thesis

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:5567219

Seixas, N S

The investigation was carried out by considering the exposure response relationship in a group of 1270 miners whose exposure began in or after 1970 when the regulations took effect. Over a 15 year period the results of the study indicated statistically significant positive associations of cumulative exposure with decrements in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC), and symptoms of chronic bronchitis, breathlessness and wheeze with shortness of breath. As a result of the act, these miners were exposed to dust concentrations generally less than 2.0mg/m3. The study suggested that miners entering exposure for the first time in 1970 or later, experienced a rapid initial loss of pulmonary function in relation to their cumulative exposure to dust. The losses were observed in both FVC and FEV1 suggesting that the effect was primarily on lung volumes. Over the following 12 years there was little additional exposure related loss. The study concluded that the regulations have not been completely successful in preventing respiratory effects from exposure to coal mine dust.

• Research Organization: Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI (USA). School of Public Health
• OSTI ID: 5567219
• Report Number(s): PB-91-170035/XAB; CNN: NIOSH-R03-OH-02627
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
016000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Health & Safety
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BODY
BRONCHITIS
COAL MINERS
COAL MINING
CORRELATIONS
DAMAGE
DISEASES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
DUSTS
FUNCTIONS
LUNGS
MINERS
MINING
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
ORGANS
PERSONNEL
RESPIRATION
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
SAFETY
SAFETY STANDARDS
STANDARDS