NIOSH Information for NAS Committee on Respirable Coal Dust
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NIOSH Information for NAS Committee on Respirable Coal Dust R.J. Matetic, PhD Director, Pittsburgh Mining Research Division NIOSH Mining Program NAS Statement of Task An ad hoc committee will… Compare the monitoring technologies and sampling protocols (including sampling frequency) currently used or required in the United States, and in similarly industrialized countries for the control of respirable coal mine dust exposure in underground coal mines. Assess the effects of rock dust mixtures and their application, as required by current U.S. regulations, on respirable coal mine dust measurements. Assess the efficacy of current monitoring technologies and sampling approaches, and develop science-based conclusions regarding optimal monitoring and sampling strategies to aid mine operators' decision making related to reducing respirable coal mine dust exposure to miners in underground coal mines. NIOSH topics covered Exposure risk evidence provided for MSHA’s respirable dust rule Dust monitoring technologies Current dust control research Rock dusting recommendations and impact on dust monitoring Other output information that may be useful to the committee Exposure risk evidence provided for MSHA’s respirable dust rule Evidence: CWP is related to coal dust concentration, age, and coal rank Concentration Study Coal rank Disease category 0.5 mg/m3 1.0 mg/m3 2.0 mg/m3 CWP ≥ 1 48 119 341 High-rank bituminous CWP ≥ 2 20 58 230 Attfield& Seixas PMF 13 36 155 (1995) CWP ≥ 1 27 63 165 Medium/low-rank bituminous CWP ≥ 2 9 22 65 PMF 4 10 29 CWP ≥ 1 45 120 380 Anthracite CWP ≥ 2 17 51 212 PMF 17 46 167 CWP ≥ 1 41 108 338 High-rank bituminous CWP ≥ 2 15 43 168 (89% carbon) PMF 13 34 114 CWP ≥ 1 18 42 111 Attfield& Morring Medium/low-rank bituminous CWP ≥ 2 6 15 42 (1992) (83% carbon) PMF 4 9 21 CWP ≥ 1 12 26 64 Medium/low-rank bituminous CWP ≥ 2 4 9 22 (Midwest) PMF 1 3 6 CWP ≥ 1 7 14 32 Medium/low-rank bituminous CWP ≥ 2 <1 <1 1 (West) PMF <1 <1 1 Highest risk occupations MSHA inspector samples from 2000 through 2015 Coal samples Quartz Quartz samples Occupation Coal samples > 2.0 mg/m3 samples > 100 µg/m3 Tailgate shearer 5,307 13.7% 1,995 10.5% operator Jack setter 10,852 10.7% 747 14.3% Continuous miner 80,654 7.9% 31,181 13.3% operator Roof bolter operator 98,081 4.0% 2,632 9.8% Coal mine dust exposure and miner health effects 1995 -Criteria for a recommended standard: occupational exposure to respirable coal mine dust [NIOSH Publication No. 95–106] Establishes REL of 1 mg/m3. Since REL does not assure zero risk over a working lifetime, also recommends: • Keeping worker exposures as far below the REL as feasible • Frequent monitoring of worker exposures • Participation of miners in recommended medical screening and surveillance Notes that the NIOSH REL for respirable crystalline silica is 0.05 mg/m3 2011 -Current Intelligence Bulletin 64: Coal mine dust exposures and associated health outcomes; a review of information published since 1995 [NIOSH Publication No. 2011-172] • Reviewed newer literature and found that the 1995 recommendations remained valid. Coal mine dust exposure and miner health effects –GAO support 2012 -Reports and Key Studies Support the Scientific Conclusions Underlying the Proposed Exposure Limit for Respirable Coal Mine Dust [GAO-12-832R] Government Accountability Office supported “…the conclusion that lowering the PEL from 2.0 mg/m3 to 1.0 mg/m3 would reduce miners’ risk of disease.” 2014 -Basis for proposed exposure limit on respirable coal mine dust and possible approaches for lowering dust levels [GAO-14-345] MSHA appropriately did not use recent trend data on coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) as a basis for its proposal to lower the permissible exposure limit for respirable coal mine dust. MSHA primarily based its proposed new limit on two reports and six epidemiologic studies, which each concluded that lowering the limit on exposure to coal mine dust would reduce miners' risk of developing disease. Dust monitoring technologies Continuous Personal Dust Monitor (CPDM) CPDM performance attributes Airflow • Mass-based determination of concentration (TEOM) • Heated sample path to drive off moisture Tapered Element Oscillating • Time-weighted-average dust concentration displayed on unit Microbalance Filter • Respirable dust concentration recorded every one minute in internal file • Key instrument operating parameters also recorded each minute in file • End-of-shift concentration shown on unit and in data file • Secure data file transmitted to MSHA with CPDM software PDM record of numerous operating parameters helps in identifying valid sample collection. For example: Pump flow rate Identifies correct volume of air (pinched sampling hose) Mass on filter Identifies large gain/loss of mass on filter, which may result from inlet falling into dust pile or dropping PDM which knocks dust off of filter Temperature of Temperature control ensures accuracy of dust mass measurement TEOM Tilt sensor Identifies movement of PDM MSHA uses some of this information in determining voided samples. NIOSH testing of CPDM performance –key publications Performance of a new personal respirable dust monitor for mine use [NIOSH 2004-151] • Prototype device tested --limited underground trials • Met NIOSH accuracy criterion ±25% of the reference measurements Laboratory and field performance of a continuously measuring personal respirable dust monitor [NIOSH 2006-145] • Pre-commercial device tested (not yet certified) • Field tested at 20% of MMUs, 10% of longwalls Equivalency of a personal dust monitor to the current United States coal mine respirable dust sampler [Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 2008] • CPDM under samples slightly –1.05 conversion multiplier Respirable dust standards and sampling methods vary by country. Country Respirable coal dust, Respirable Flow rate, mg/m3 quartz, µg/m3 Dust sampler Lpm United States 1.5 100 CPDM 2.2 Australia –New South Wales 2.5 120 Gravimetric 1.7 Australia –Queensland 3.0 100 Gravimetric 1.7 South Africa 2.0 100 Gravimetric 2.2 Efficacy of current monitoring technologies CPDM designed to empower workers and management with exposure information during the work shift in order to avoid overexposures Percent greater Dust sampler Sampling period than standard Gravimetric 8/1/2014 –1/31/2016 2.2% CPDM 4/1/2016 –7/31/2016 0.3% CPDM has dropped overexposure rate for operator samples by over 86% Efficacy of current monitoring technologies • CPDM does not provide capability for silica analysis • PMRD researchers are developing a method for conducting an end-of-shift silica analysis method for gravimetric filter samples Best Practices for Dust Control in Coal Mining [IC9517 –NIOSH Publication No. 2010-110] Contents • Health effects of overexposure to respirable coal and silica dust • Sampling to quantify respirable dust generation • Controlling respirable dust on longwall mining operations • Controlling respirable dust on continuous mining operations • Controlling respirable silica dust at surface mines NIOSH dust control publications since handbook Evaluation of face dust concentrations at mines using deep-cut practices. [2011]. RI 9680, NIOSH Publication No. 2011-131. Dust capture performance of a water exhaust conditioner for roof bolting machines. [2012] Mining Engineering, 64(3):45-49. Development of a canopy air curtain to reduce roof bolters' dust exposure. [2012] Mining Engineering, 64(7):72-79. Silica and respirable content in rock dust samples. [2012] Coal Age, 117(12):48-52. Examination of water spray airborne coal dust capture with three wetting agents. [2013] SME Annual Meeting, Preprint 13-022. NIOSH dust control publications since handbook Impact of operating a flooded-bed scrubber on respirable dust levels in 20-foot cuts. [2013] RI 9693, NIOSH Publication No. 2014-105. Examination of redirected continuous miner scrubber discharge configurations for exhaust face ventilation systems. [2013] SME Transactions, Vol 334:427-434. Evaluations of bit sleeve and twisted-body bit designs for controlling roof bolter dust. [2015] Mining Engineering, 67(2):34-40. Evaluating tailgate spraymanifolds to reduce dust exposures for shearer face personnel. [2015] SME Annual Meeting, Preprint 15-077. Influence of continuous mining arrangements on respirable dust exposures. [2015] SME Annual Meeting, Preprint 15-004. NIOSH dust control publications since handbook Examination ofa newly developed mobile dry scrubber (DS) for coal mine dust control applications. [2016] SME Annual Meeting, Preprint 16-010. Development of a roof bolter canopy air curtain for respirable dust control. [2016] SME Annual Meeting, Preprint 16-003. CFD analysis on gas distribution for different scrubber redirection configurations in sump cut. [2016] SME Transactions, Vol 338. Dust control publications accepted for 2017 SME Annual Meeting Comparison of different hollow cone water sprays for continuous miner dust control applications. February 21, 2017. Material property tests of foam agents to determine their potential for longwall mining dust control research. February 21, 2017. Assessing foam application to mine roof for longwall mining shield dust control. February 22, 2017. NIOSH silica-related dust publications Pneumoconiosis among underground bituminous coal miners in the United States: is silicosis becoming more frequent? 2010. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 67(10):652-656] The increasing prevalence of pneumoconiosis over the past decade and the change in the epidemiology and disease profile documented in this and other