pulmonary disorders
Coal Worker Pneumoconiosis
Etiology of Coal Worker Pneumoconiosis
Coal worker pneumoconiosis is caused by chronic inhalation of coal mining dust, typically for≥10 years. Cumulative dust exposure is the most important risk factor in the development of coal worker pneumoconiosis. The quantity of respirable crystalline silica in coal mining dust is also an important risk factor for progressive disease. Miners working in underground mines, closer to the extraction point, and those involved in cutting or drilling are at greater risk of coal worker pneumoconiosis. 