The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will begin offering free, confidential black lung screenings to U.S. Coal miners this month, with the program’s 21st year of operation kicking off in April following a brief postponement of scheduled March screenings in West Virginia due to technical issues.
The screenings, available to current and former coal miners – including those working underground, on the surface, or under contract – will take place throughout April and May in Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana. NIOSH utilizes a mobile health unit to bring the screenings directly to mining communities.
The comprehensive screenings, which take approximately 30 minutes to complete, include a detailed work history and respiratory health questionnaire, a chest X-ray, blood pressure screening, and spirometry – a breathing test used to assess lung function. Results are confidential, protected by law, and will be provided to each miner within approximately 12 weeks.
“America’s coal miners work hard and sacrifice to keep our nation running,” said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. “These confidential, free screenings are an important way People can protect their health and reduce their risk of lung disease. If black lung is caught early, we can assist prevent serious health outcomes, which is why it is so important that we bring these services directly to the communities that demand them through our state-of-the-art mobile unit.”
Black lung, also known as coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, is a potentially disabling lung disease caused by prolonged exposure to respirable coal dust. According to the CDC, inhaling this dust can lead to the disease, and it was an underlying or contributing cause of death for 75,178 miners between 1970 and 2016.
Appointments are recommended but walk-ins are welcome. Individuals interested in scheduling a screening can contact the program at 1-888-480-4042 or via email at [email protected]. Specific screening locations, dates, and times are regularly updated on the Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program webpage, as well as on the program’s Facebook and X/Twitter accounts.
NIOSH, the federal agency responsible for conducting research and providing recommendations for preventing work-related injuries and illnesses, offers these screenings as part of its Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP). The program aims to support early detection and intervention for black lung disease, a condition that remains a significant health risk for coal miners.
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