Underground or Surface Coal Miner? Support an End to Black Lung Disease
Oct. 8, 2014
The health of coal miners matters. If you are a coal miner and you have suffered health conditions that may be related to your occupation, you do not have to suffer from no hope. Steps are being taken to fight for greater protection for the conditions of coal miners in both underground and surface mining. You can read here for more information on the United States Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration. Known as MSHA, these regulations have hoped to protect miners from as far back as 1978. Congress enacted specific legislation in 1969 to help bring an end to black lung disease. This end did not come, and no further work is being done. To read the recent final ruling, click here. As stated directly on the Office of the Federal Register page, "Chronic exposure to respirable coal mine dust causes lung diseases that can lead to permanent disability and death. The final rule will greatly improve health protections for coal miners by reducing their occupational exposure to respirable coal mine dust and by lowering the risk that they will suffer material impairment of health or functional capacity over their working lives." There are many specifics to the regulations, and a meeting with an attorney will help to further clarify the protections offered. For further reading, you can also check out some basic questions and answers on MSHA's Final Rule to Lower Miners' Exposure to Respirable Coal Mine Dust here.
If you are in need of assistance with black lung health conditions or want to know if your health issues can be covered under legal protection, contact Wolfe Law Office for a free consultation at 304-245-9097.
Sources:
https://www.msha.gov/FromtheDesk/FromtheDesk07312014.asp
https://www.msha.gov/endblacklung/
https://www.msha.gov/endblacklung/docs/QuestionsandAnswers.pdf