Occupational Respiratory Disease Surveillance

Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program

“The first priority and concern of all in the coal or other mining industry must be the health and safety of its most precious resource – the miner.” Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, amended 1977

The Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 (as amended by the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977) 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. These activities are administered through the Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP), as specified in the Federal Regulations, 42 CFR 37, “Specifications for Medical Examinations of Underground Coal Miners.”

NIOSH staff located at the Division of Respiratory Disease Studies (DRDS) in Morgantown, WV, are responsible for conducting the CWHSP. The CWHSP consists of three components: (1) Coal Workers’ X-ray Surveillance Program, (2) National Coal Workers’ Autopsy Program, and (3) B Reader Certification Program.

NIOSH Products Related to Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program

Black Lung, Don't Become a Victim
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2003-123 (2003)
A NIOSH poster promotingparticipation in the Coal Workers' Health Surviellance Program.
PDF 130 KB (1 page)     JPG 2,164 KB

Mining Safety and Health Research, a NIOSH workplace safety and health topic (includes information on the NIOSH project that administers the Coal Workers' X-ray Surveillance Program).

Pneumoconiosis, a NIOSH workplace safety and health topic.

Recent statistics on prevalence of coal worker's pneumoconiosis in the U.S.
CDC [2003]. Pneumoconiosis Prevalence Among Working Coal Miners Examined in Federal Chest Radiograph Surveillance Programs United States, 1996–2002 - Michigan, 2003. MMWR 52(15): 336. A NIOSH analysis of recent radiographic information from the U.S. National Coal Workers' X-ray Surveillance Program (CWXSP).
  PDF only 130 KB (1 page)

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.

Section 2: Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis and Related Exposures
PDF only (1637KB; 26 pgs)

Other Resources Related to the Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program

The links to external web sites included below are provided for informational purposes only. Citation should not be taken as endorsement by NIOSH of the web site content nor of the sponsoring organization.

American College of Radiology (ACR)
External link: http://www.acr.org

Black Lung Benefits Act (BLBA)
External Link: http://www.dol.gov/dol/compliance/comp-blba.htm

Black Lung Clinics Program
External Link: http://bphc.hrsa.gov/blacklung/default.htm

Campaign to End Black Lung Now and Forever
External Link: http://www.msha.gov/S&HINFO;/BLUNG/HOMEPAGE.HTM

Federal Mine Safety & Health Act of 1977
External link: http://www.msha.gov/Regs/Act/Acttc.htm

Mine Safety and Health Administration
External link: http://www.msha.gov

42CFR27 Specifications of Medical Examinations of Underground Coal Miners
External link: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_02/42cfr37_02.html

Worker Medical Monitoring

Related NIOSH Products