As early as the 17th century and increasingly with the rise of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, coal miners became aware of an occupational hazard: the development of lung disease. Not only is breathing dust hard on the lungs but coal dust in particular can also contain high quantities of volcanic silicate minerals—compounds similar to glass—with sharp edges that damage lung tissue when inhaled. Early coal miners’ disease was classified simply as pneumonokoniosis, according to a publication by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, but research has since revealed that there are several distinct respiratory diseases to which coal miners are susceptible.
Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis
A 2005 article published in “Occupational Environmental Medicine” describes coal workers’ pneumoconiosis as a disease produced by the buildup of coal dust in the lungs and the response of the body to that accumulated dust over time. A fairly mild respiratory disorder compared to others that coal miners often face, coal workers’ pneumoconiosis may be asymptomatic or may produce mild respiratory irritation including difficulty breathing and chronic cough. The disease is difficult to diagnose given its lack of remarkable symptoms, but a history of coal dust inhalation combined with a chest X-ray showing accumulation of particulate matter in the lungs is often considered sufficient to suggest coal workers’ pneumoconiosis.
Progressive Massive Fibrosis
A far more severe respiratory ailment, progressive massive fibrosis includes symptoms of serious respiratory distress, explains the Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. The disease is also marked by pulmonary hypertension, meaning high blood pressure specific to the portion of the circulatory system that sends blood from the heart to the lungs for oxygenation. This pressure is the result of severely irritated, swollen lung tissue that constricts capillaries sending blood through the lungs and causes blood to back up. Pulmonary hypertension typically not only stresses the heart but also leads to insufficient oxygenation of blood. Progressive massive fibrosis is typically diagnosed using chest X-rays, but it can be hard to distinguish from cancer owing to the buildup of nodules in the lungs.
Silicosis
Coal dust particularly high in silicate minerals can lead to silicosis, notes the CDC. Generally, it takes many years—more than 15—of routine silicate exposure to produce silicosis, but once established, the disease can become quite serious, mimicking infectious processes such as tuberculosis. Doctors generally make the diagnosis using a chest X-ray combined with tests to rule out infectious causes of illness. X-rays show that immune cells called macrophages are filled with silicate dust that they’ve ingested over the years. The disease produces respiratory difficulty and susceptibility to other lung diseases.
References
- "Health Effects of Exposure to Respirable Coal Dust"; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; September, 1995
- “Occupational Environmental Medicine”; Rapidly Progressive Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis in the United States: Geographic Clustering and Other Factors; V. dos S Antao, et al.; March 2005
- Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals: Progressive Massive Fibrosis
