Incidence of pneumoconiosis in coal mines with different levels of mechanization
Kujawska, A.; Marek, K.; Dobrzelecka, I.; Stachura, A.; Stasiów, A.; Kłopotowski, J.
Medycyna Pracy 34(4): 301-306
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0465-5893 PMID: 6664294 Document Number: 216148
2717 miners working more than eight years in four collieries have been examined. Two of those mines were mechanized, whereas in the other two the degree of mechanization was low. Anamnestic data and radiological examinations have been correlated with dust concentration, silica content and individual index of energy expenditure. Mechanization has been found to increase dustiness but it is not necessarily responsible for pneumoconiosis risk, the degree of the risk being dependent on the efficiency of dust prophylaxis. On the other hand, mechanization reduces physical effort and, consequently, lung ventilation, and so it may reduce the effect of excessive dustiness as well. Thus, pneumoconiosis risk due to mechanization is a resultant of several factors sometimes exhibiting opposite impact.