CDC logoSafer Healthier People  CDC HomeCDC SearchCDC Health Topics A-Z
NIOSH - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

NIOSH Safety and Health Topic:

Pneumoconioses

Pneumoconioses

Section of Freeze-Dried Human Lung, Underground Miner, Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis (Black Lung)

Coal Workers' X-ray Surveillance Program

Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP)
The CWHSP is a result of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 (as amended by the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977) which is intended to protect the health and safety of underground coal miners. This Act directs NIOSH to study the causes and consequences of coal-related respiratory disease and, in cooperation with the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), to carry out a program for early detection and prevention of coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

Coal Workers' X-Ray Surveillance Program: Frequently Asked Questions and Resource List
What is Coal Worker's Pneumoconiosis? How can I know whether I have Black Lung? What else might the X-ray examination tell me? How can I learn more about my transfer options?

Miner Identification Form
this document in PDF PDF only 76 KB (2 pages)
(OMB 0920-0020) (CDC/NIOSH 2.9) (June 2002)
This form must be completed by the miner and accompany all x-rays sent to NIOSH for interpretation as part of the Coal Workers' X-ray Surveillance Program. Print/Copy as a double-sided form.

Mine X-ray Plans Due for Renewal
This page is intended for the use of NIOSH-approved x-ray facilities. Listed are the underground coal mining operations nationwide that have been recently notified by NIOSH of the requirement to provide chest x-rays to their employees. The listing includes the Mine Name, Mine Identification Code, Company Address, Mine Operator, Company Contact Person for the X-ray Plan, the Company Telephone Number, and the Date on which a new x-ray plan is required.

MMWR Article - Pneumoconiosis Prevalence Among Working Coal Miners Examined in Federal Chest Radiograph Surveillance Programs --- United States, 1996--2002

X-ray Facilities Database Search Form
A searchable list of x-ray facilities that are approved by NIOSH in order to take chest x-rays for the Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP). More information can also be found on this page for facilities seeking approval to complete chest x-rays under the CWHSP.

B-Reader Program

To B or Not to B: The NIOSH B-Reader Program
NIOSH B Reader approval is granted to physicians who demonstrate proficiency in the classification of chest x-rays for the pneumoconioses using the International Labour Office (ILO) Classification System.

Surveillance

Atlas of Respiratory Disease Mortality, United States: 1982-1993
NIOSH Publication No. 98-157 (August 1998)  
This report presents maps showing geographic distributions (by health service area) of mortality associated with selected respiratory conditions that together represent nearly all respiratory diseases. For categories of traditional occupational lung diseases mapped in this atlas (i.e., the pneumoconioses, including coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, asbestosis, silicosis, byssinosis, and other and unspecified pneumoconioses), nearly all cases are attributable to hazardous occupational exposure.

Worker Health Chartbook, 2000
NIOSH Publication No. 2000-127 (September 2000)  
The Chartbook presents data and charts that characterize types of injuries and illnesses by gender, race, industry, and occupation. In May 2002 sections of the Chartbook were re-packaged in booklets highlighting fatal and nonfatal illnesses and injuries as well as a focus on mining.

Fatal Illness
(NIOSH Publication No. 2002-118)  
this document in PDF PDF only 1664 KB (60 pages)

Nonfatal Illness
(NIOSH Publication No. 2002-120)  
this document in PDF PDF only 2844 KB (68 pages)

Work Related Lung Disease Surveillance Report 2002
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2003-111 (2002)
The sixth of a series, the Work-Related Lung Disease (WoRLD) Surveillance Report 2002 provides information on various work-related respiratory diseases and associated exposures in the United States. The WoRLD Surveillance Report 2002 describes where these diseases are occurring (by industry and geographic location), who is affected (by race, gender, age, and occupation), how frequently they occur, and temporal trends.

Work Related Lung Disease Surveillance Report 1999
NIOSH Publication No. 2000-105 (December 1999)  
This Work-Related Lung Disease (WoRLD) Surveillance Report presents summary tables and figures of occupational respiratory disease surveillance data focusing on various occupationally-relevant respiratory diseases, including pneumoconioses, occupational asthma and other airways diseases, and several other respiratory conditions. For many of these diseases, selected data on related exposures are also presented.

Work Related Lung Disease Surveillance Report 1996
NIOSH Publication No. 96-134 (October 1996)
This 1996 Work-Related Lung Disease (WoRLD) Surveillance Report provides national and state-specific summaries of occupational respiratory disease surveillance data focusing on pneumoconiosis mortality. Selected occupational respiratory hazard sampling data relevant to pneumoconiosis are also presented.

Work Related Lung Disease Surveillance Report 1994
NIOSH Publication No. 94-120 (October 1994)  
The 1994 Work-Related Lung Disease Surveillance Report (WoRLD) provides a summary of surveillance data for various occupational respiratory diseases, from a variety of sources, in a readily available format. The majority of the data in this report is for the time period 1968-1990.

Work Related Lung Disease Surveillance Report Supplement 1992
NIOSH Publication No. 91-113s (September 1992)  
Supplement to the first Work Related Lung Disease Surveillance Report (WoRLD) which presents updated data and data which was previously unpresented including sex, race, geographic distribution, industry and occupation; number of discharges with silicosis or asbestosis from the National Hospital Discharge Survey; and reports of occupational asthma and silicosis from the SENSOR program.

Work Related Lung Disease Surveillance Report
NIOSH Publication No. 91-113 (October 1991)  
First of a series of Work Related Lung Disease Surveillance Reports (WoRLD) represents a summary of data for various occupational respiratory diseases divided into figures and tables.

Related NIOSH Topics

Asbestos

Occupational Respiratory Disease Surveillance

Silica

Spirometry Training