We know how to prevent black lung, so why are workers still dying?
Sufferers of black lung and silicosis are getting younger as Trump and the coal mining industry push back on protections Silicosis is one of the oldest workplace hazards and public health experts have known for decades how to prevent it. Yet a new wave of workers, from Appalachian coalminers to Latino countertop fabrication workers, are developing and dying from the disease as industry fights new…
Black lung and silicosis are increasingly affecting younger workers, despite the fact that public health experts have long known how to prevent these diseases. Trump's administration and the coal mining industry have been pushing back against new protections, while regulators have failed to enforce the rules that could save lives.
John Robinson, a former coal miner from south-west Virginia, is one example of this growing trend. His grandfather suffered from black lung in the past, when miners could work for decades before being diagnosed and often died in their 60s, 70s, and 80s. However, Robinson was diagnosed at the age of 47, part of a trend of younger coal miners developing the disease. This issue has been on the rise over the past two decades, particularly in central Appalachia.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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