ABSTRACT
Coal has been a major source of energy in the U.S. since 1800s and is expected to remain essential for the foreseeable future. Dust exposure has several adverse effects on the health of mine workers. Several studies have shown the striking effect of contributing factors such as mining method, and geographic location in the prevalence of coal worker’s pneumoconiosis (CWP). However, there has been limited investigation on the role of coal seam height and mine size. This study aims to investigate the effect of mine size and coal seam height on the CWP prevalence among coal miners, especially in underground mines. The data was drawn from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) Employment and Accident/Injury databases. Statistical analysis including regression analysis performed on the data. A total of were included in our regression analysis. A Generalized Estimiation Equation (GEE) model was used to conduct a regression analysis on a total of 123,589 mine-year observations. The result of the statistical analysis reveals that coal workers in underground coal mines with lower coal seam height (less than 100 cm) and small mine sizes (less than 50 employees) are at a greater risk of CWP.
