Final rule issued on miners’ exposure to black-lung-causing material [Video]

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WOWK) — A final rule to slow miners’ exposure to silica dust, which is known to cause many lung-related diseases like black lung and lung cancer, has been issued.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Labor announced its Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) issued a final rule protecting workers from respirable crystalline silica, a carcinogen also known as silica dust or quartz dust.

For a full shift, miners can be exposed to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air, the U.S. Department of Labor said. The Associated Press reported in 2023 that the original allowed was 100 micrograms in coal, metal and nonmetal mines.

On top of the new standards to protect miners, the rule requires the use of engineering controls to prevent overexposure and “compels” operators to have medical surveillance programs to give miners exams at no extra cost, the MSHA said in a press release.

The U.S. Department of Labor said …