overseen that after blocking pneumoconiosis as a cause of death the probability of a certain cause can then be described by the ratio between the observed number of this cause and the number of all causes of death except for pneumoconiosis. Therefore, this approach yields SMR = (7 + 6.7)/10.14 = 1.35 for the worked example, which even exceeds the originally proposed adjusted risk estimate. Foll...

This study investigates the risky positioning behaviour of underground coal mine employees, specifically the behaviour of drivers of remote controlled continuous miners. The patterns of behaviour of these employees are of particular interest, not only because of a series of fatal accidents in New South Wales coal mines with such equipment, but also because of the lack of scientific enquiry of r...

Methane gas emission, accumulation, and explosion are the most important risk factors in underground coal mines. Hence, having a knowledge of methane gas emission potential in underground coal mines is of crucial importance in preventing the explosion risk, loss of life, and property, and providing miners' safety. The purpose of this work is to provide the prediction maps for the C1, C2, and B2...

BACKGROUND The mortality experience over 22-24 years of 8,899 working coal miners initially medically examined in 1969-1971 at 31 U.S. coal mines was evaluated. METHODS A cohort life-table analysis was undertaken on underlying causes of death, and proportional hazards models were fitted to both underlying, and underlying and contributing causes of death. RESULTS Elevated mortality from nonv...

It has recently been suggested that the inhalation of coal in the absence of complicated coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) or smoking can lead to disabling airways obstruction. The cause of such obstruction has been variously attributed to emphysema or bronchitis. The frequency of significant airways obstruction in a group of United States coal miners seeking compensation for occupationally in...

It has recently been suggested that the inhalation of coal in the absence of complicated coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) or smoking can lead to disabling airways obstruction. The cause of such obstruction has been variously attributed to emphysema or bronchitis. The frequency of significant airways obstruction in a group of United States coal miners seeking compensation for occupationally in...

OBJECTIVES To better understand the relations between occupational exposure, blood antioxidant enzyme activities, total plasma antioxidant concentration, and the severity of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP). METHODS Blood samples were obtained from miners without CWP exposed to low dust concentrations for > or = 4 years at the time of the study (n = 105), or exposed to high dust concentrati...