Miners and their advocates have long demanded stricter standards on exposure to silica, a leading cause of an epidemic of black lung. They’re still waiting.
five years ago found thousands of instances in which miners were exposed to dangerous levels of silica. Calls for a stricter silica exposure standard followed, but still, nothing.
Black lung patients and their advocates petitioned the Mine Safety and Health Administration for an updated silica rule in 2011, but it took until last year for the agency to propose an updated rule and send it to the Office of Management and Budget for review. By April, mine regulators had promised to deliver a draft of the proposal, which would then go through a lengthy public comment period and possible revisions before approval.
Monforton says that more rigorous coal dust sampling — including continuous air monitoring and having inspectors spend more than a day at a given location — and preventative measures like increased ventilation could help prevent black lung. “The things that actually control the dust are the most effective way to protect mineworkers,” she said. But, she adds, history has made it difficult to trust mine operators with miners’ welfare, making strict regulations and enforcement necessary.
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