Black lung rates in coal-country states at a 50-year high, NIOSH says

Black lung disease rates among long-tenured underground coal miners in Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia have reached nearly 1 in 3 workers, marking the highest prevalence in almost 50 years according to recent NIOSH research. The findings highlight serious occupational health risks in coal mining regions and underscore the need for improved workplace safety measures and dust control practices.

Washington — Nearly 1 in 3 long-tenured underground coal miners in Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia have black lung disease, the highest rate in nearly 50 years, recent NIOSH research shows. A manuscript published Aug. 4 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine states…

This story was originally published by Safety+Health Magazine.