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e-Toolkit

Silicosis and dust-related diseases

A note from our CEO
Section I: Taking action to eliminate silicosis and dust-related diseases
Ideal management approaches
Current challenges and uncertainties
National action plans and strategies for silicosis/dust diseases
Potential issues arising from action
Section II: Country summaries, case studies and resources
Silica country summaries – Australia
Silica country summaries – International
Pneumoconiosis case studies
Research on silicosis and dust-related diseases
Section III: What silica and other occupational dusts are and the risks they pose
Mineralogical features of silica
Other dust/fume-related exposures
Exposure pathways
Historical progression of silica and other dust-related diseases
Section IV: Health impacts of exposure to asbestos
What are dust/fume-related diseases?
How are dust-related diseases diagnosed?
Clinical features of silicosis and other dust-related diseases
Patient support, care and information
Reporting, coding and registration of occupational dust-related diseases

Coal dust exposures

Coal dust is a powdered form of coal created through processing activities that involve crushing, grinding or pulverizing of coal. Coal dust can also be generated through mining, handling and transportation of coal.

Respirable dust refers to very fine dust typically invisible to the naked eye that can reach the lower parts of the lung and potentially lead to development of occupational lung diseases.

What diseases can coal dust cause?

If a worker is exposed to and breathes in coal dust over a long period of time they could develop:

  • pneumoconiosis
  • progressive massive fibrosis, and
  • chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Mine dust diseases are caused by longterm exposure to high concentrations of respirable dust, generated during mining and quarrying activities.

What is coal workers’ pneumoconiosis?

Pneumoconioses are a group of interstitial lung diseases caused by breathing in dust particles.

Coal workers pneumoconiosis (also referred to a black lung disease and miners’ lung) is caused by breathing in coal dust.

Pneumoconiosis can be simple or complicated – it can cause a small amount of scar tissue or nodules. If it is complicated, it can cause progressive massive fibrosis.

What causes coal workers’ pneumoconiosis?

Workers can develop coal workers’ pneumoconiosis by breathing in coal dust, often in large amounts, over a long period of time (chronic inhalation).

Mine dust can lead to pathological changes in the lungs – which can be fibrotic or nodular such as coal workers’ pneumoconiosis or mixed dust pneumoconiosis. Or they can be non-nodular such as lung cancer.

Who is at risk of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis?

Workers in the mining industry or anyone who is exposed to coal and dusts associated with mining work.

Workers may be at increased risk of developing coal workers’ pneumoconiosis if they smoke and are exposed to a high level of coal dust over a long period of time.

Exposure to respirable coal dust is not limited to mining work. Workers can be exposed at ports during transportation, warehousing and loading of coal, or in foundry work.

Reference

Safe Work Australia - Coal Dust

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