New MSHA campaign will focus on miner health

History says it will not matter what rule changes MSHA introduces there will not be a reduction in either black lung which emerges over the long term of an employee's working life or silicosis which emerges over the short to middle term of an employees working life. There are two very specific reasons and both have been solved. The first reason is the approach adopted to filter dust is inefficient and allows the small micron respirable coal and silica dust particles to move through the filters and remain in the air to which the mine workers are exposed and water sprays are unreliable. The second reason is the mine companies directors and senior executives when exposed to a new approach and a new technology do not want to implement new technology and methodologies because such a decision requires that they expose their workplace, employing thousands of workers, to "champion challenger" testing where the current dust loads and exposure levels are measured independently and compared with the dust loads and exposure levels using the new technology and methods to remove the small micron dust particles that cause the silicosis and black lung/pneumoconiosis. Many of these Directors and senior executives refuse such comparative testing for one very serious reason....they are not confident their workplaces comply with current exposure levels in the workplaces they are responsible for and they will have to reduce production until it is remedied or permanently reduced if they cannot satisfy MSHA. MSHA and Government knowfull well that each case of pulmonary massive fibrosis (advanced black lung) costs the taxpayer US$5.1million. Such money is surely better spent elsewhere? For Health budgets it is a cost that can be avoided...avoiding the costs of PMF and ill-health and loss of fathers, sons and brothers is worth the minimal cost of changing technology and methodology and forcing mine directors and senior executives to allow accurate comparisons. Logic also suggests that a technology that brings coal mining companies into compliance is also a technology that may enable a mine to have an opportunity to increase production because it is going to reduce respirable dust loads, reduce threat of explosion as it is the respirable dust that explodes, improves vision in the longwall and sends the workers home at the end of every shift with the comfort that their lung capacity and general health is much improved and they will be able to play with and enjoy their families for the rest of their working life not for the next few years if silicosis gets them. The USA is the world leader in underground coal mining and its mine companies control mining across the world including Australia where diseases such as black lung and silicosis have emerged the past few years in record numbers. Is it time to assess new technology a new way of doing things? Surely the call of the mining $ given to Politicians and the few long lunches enjoyed by Bureaucrats cannot stand in the way of doing things different and saving workers lives and improving thr quality of life of tens of thousands of families world wide.