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

Thesis/Dissertation · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6131260

Seixas, N S

This study examines the effectiveness of the dust standards set by the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 in preventing obstructive lung disease by considering the exposure-response relationship in a group of miners whose exposure began in or after 1970 when the regulations took effect. Exposing-response relationships were examined among 1,270 miners from the National Study of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between cumulative exposure and pulmonary function test results (FVC, FEV{sub 1}, and FEV{sub 1}/FVC) and respiratory symptoms were modeled using linear and logistic regression while controlling for smoking. The results over a 15 year exposure period indicated statistically significant positive associations of cumulative exposure with decrements in FEV{sub 1}, FEV{sub 1}/FVC, the likelihood of these indices being less than 80% of predicted, and symptoms, including chronic bronchitis, breathlessness and wheeze with shortness of breath. The estimated effect of exposure of FEV{sub 1} was 5.5 ml per mg/m{sup 3} -years which was substantially larger than previously reported estimates. However, examination of PFTs within five years of beginning work demonstrated a rapid initial exposure-related loss of both FVC and FEV{sub 1} and no additional exposure-related loss over the following 10 years. The results of the study suggest that exposure to coal mine dust at concentrations present since the CMHSA regulations were put into effect have not been completely successful in preventing respiratory effects. Determination of the long-term significance of the initial exposure-response relationship observed requires additional follow-up of this cohort.

• Research Organization: Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
• OSTI ID: 6131260
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
016000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Health & Safety
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
294001 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Coal
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
COAL MINERS
CORRELATIONS
DATA ACQUISITION
DATA ANALYSIS
DISEASES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
DUSTS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MINERS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PERSONNEL
POLLUTION
RELIABILITY
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SAFETY STANDARDS
STANDARDS
US DOE
US MSHA
US ORGANIZATIONS