Black Lung Disease Striking Miners at Younger Ages as Protections Weaken
Cases of silicosis and black lung are occurring in younger workers across coal mining and other industries, even as prevention methods are well-established.
Black lung and silicosis cases are appearing in younger workers, including coalminers in Appalachia and Latino countertop fabrication workers, according to The Guardian. A coalminer in southwest Virginia was diagnosed at 47, compared to historical cases typically occurring in workers' 60s, 70s, and 80s.
Public health experts say prevention methods for silicosis have been known for decades. The Guardian reports that industry pushback and regulatory failures are contributing to the trend, citing the Trump administration and coal mining interests as opposing new protections.
Sources
- We know how to prevent black lung, so why are workers still dying? — The Guardian — Business
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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