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. 1987 Nov-Dec;42(6):374-81.
doi: 10.1080/00039896.1987.9934362.

Dust exposures at U.S. surface coal mines in 1982-1983

H E Amandus  1 , G Piacitelli
Affiliations

Dust exposures at U.S. surface coal mines in 1982-1983

H E Amandus et al. Arch Environ Health. 1987 Nov-Dec.

Abstract

Exposures to British Mining Research Establishment corrected respirable dust and respirable quartz at U.S. surface coal mines during 1982-1983 were evaluated from coal mine operator and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) inspector samples. The average respirable quartz concentration from inspector samples ranged from .34-.49 mg/m3 for drilling jobs and .18 mg/m3 for bulldozer operators. For most other surface coal mine jobs, the average respirable quartz concentration was less than .1 mg/m3, and the average respirable dust concentration was less than 2 mg/m3. The results from the analysis of quartz exposures are consistent with epidemiological results for an increased silicosis risk among drillers. It is unclear, however, whether the MSHA samples provide a representative estimate of the average annual quartz concentration for drillers. Results suggest the need for a greater number of quartz samples to be taken on strip coal miners, particularly on drillers and bulldozer operators.

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