Current Intelligence Bulletin 64

<p>Since its inception in 1970 the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has extensively investigated and assessed coal miner morbidity and mortality. This history of research encompasses epidemiology; medical surveillance; laboratory-based toxicology biochemistry physiology and pathology; exposure assessment; disease prevention approaches; and methods development. The experience gained in those activities together with knowledge from external publications and reports was brought together in 1995 in a major NIOSH review and report of recommendations entitled Criteria for a Recommended Standard-Occupational Exposure to Respirable Coal Mine Dust. This document had the following major recommendations:<br><br>Exposures to respirable coal mine dust should be limited to 1 mg/m3 as a time-weighted average concentration for up to a 10 hour day during a 40 hour work week;<br>Exposures to respirable crystalline silica should be limited to 0.05 mg/m3 as a time-weighted average concentration for up to a 10 hour day during a 40 hour work week;<br>The periodic medical examination for coal miners should include spirometry;<br>Periodic medical examinations should include a standardized respiratory symptom questionnaire;<br>Surface coal miners should be added to and included in the periodic medical monitoring.<br>This Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB) updates the information on coal mine dust exposures and associated health effects from 1995 to the present. A principal intent is to determine whether the 1995 recommendations remain valid in the light of the new findings and whether they need to be updated or supplemented. The report does not deal with issues of sampling and analytical feasibility nor technical feasibility in achieving compliance.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>