Between 1990 and 1999, there were only 31 cases of
progressive massive fibrosis identified nationwide. This is the disease also
known as Black Lung. During this time, the United Mine Workers were a declining
force, but still a strong presence in Appalachian mines. They bargained for—and
enforced— mine safety.
Now comes a report, issued last Thursday by the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, showing that 60 current or former
coal miners — all patients of a single radiologist — were diagnosed with the
most severe form of black lung between January 2015 and last August.
Nearly all the miners, who had progressive massive fibrosis,
were from Pike, Floyd, Letcher and Knott counties.
This upsurge occurred as the mine workers union has lost nearly all its influence.
Black lung is caused from breathing dust churned up during
coal mining. The torturous disease chokes off a person’s ability to breathe and
often leads to premature death.
Congress approved a law in 1969 that set limits on miners’
exposure to breathable dust. Companies are required to use ventilation and
other measures to keep down dust in mines.
Look for Donald Trump to “make America great” by reversing
this safety regulation.
The miner in the picture was photographed last year during
his terminal stages of Black Lung. He has since died.
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