Control of Airborne Respirable Dust Hazards: A Training Program for Underground Coal Miners The Penn State Miner Training Program University Park, PA Raja V. Ramani, Ph.D., P.E, C.M.S.P. Mark C. Radomsky, Ph.D. MPA, C.M.S.P. Joseph P. Flick, M.S., C.M.S.P. March 31, 2003 Penn State

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH GENERIC MINERAL TECHNOLOGY CENTER ON RESPIRABLE DUST PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU OF DEEP MINE SAFETY

RESPIRABLE DUST TRAINING PROGRAM Section 4 RESPIRABLE COAL MINE DUST STANDARDS (30 CFR PART 70)

Incidence Rates for Pneumoconiosis Concentration (mg/m³) Incidence Rate Per 1000 Miners After 35 Years Exposure Simple Pneumoconiosis Complicated Pneumoconiosis Source: Committee on Education and Labor (1970). U. S. Government Printing Office

Coal Mine Respirable Dust Standards  8-Hour TLV-TWA: 2 mg/m 3  If Silica Content in the Dust is > 5%, 8-Hour TLV-TWA: [10/(% Silica)] mg/m 3  Measured with an Approved Personal Sampler Unit [PSU]  Convert the PSU Measured Concentration to an Equivalent Concentration as measured with an MRE instrument

The National Standard

Respirable Dust Standard for Quartz

Summary of Respirable Coal Mine Dust Samples Collected by MSHA Inspectors for Underground Occupations ( ) MSHA code and occupation 060. Longwall (return face worker) 044. Shearer/plow operator 064. Longwall operator (headgate) 041. Jack setter (longwall) 052. Tailgate operator 036. Continuous miner operator 014. Roofbolter (twin-head return) 046. Roofbolter Average for all occupations MSHA Samples Number of Samples Arithmetic mean Standard deviation Geometric mean Geometric standard deviation 95 1, , ,990 2,474 6,664 61,

Summary of Respirable Coal Mine Dust Samples Collected by Mine Operators for Underground Occupations ( ) MSHA code and occupation 060. Longwall (return face worker) 044. Shearer/plow operator 064. Longwall operator (headgate) 041. Jack setter (longwall) 052. Tailgate operator 036. Continuous miner operator 014. Roofbolter (twin-head return) 046. Roofbolter Average for all occupations Operator Samples Number of Samples Arithmetic mean Standard deviation Geometric mean Geometric standard deviation , , ,266 1,597 3, ,

Average Dust Concentrations in Continuous and Longwall Mining Sections from 1970 to 2000 Longwall Mining Continuous Mining

Three Important Documents  Title 30 CFR – Mineral Resources [2002]. This contains the relevant Dust laws and regulations.  NIOSH Criteria Document [1995]. This Document reviews health effects, engineering and medical control, and recommends additional measures to protect miners health.  Report of the Secretary of Labor’s Advisory Committee [1996]. The Committee’s Report has made extensive recommendations to MSHA, operators and miners for more effective health and safety control for Pneumoconiosis.

Proceed to Section 5 Miners’ Rights and Operator’s Responsibilities