How common is black lung disease?
Nationally speaking, it’s obviously going to be a relatively uncommon condition, because very few people are exposed to coal, and very few people work in mines. In terms of the workers who actually do this type of profession, it’s a very significant health concern for them. A certain percentage every year are diagnosed unfortunately with coal workers related lung conditions. Certainly some of the older people who have worked in these mines for decades and decades, who have worked before some of the more rigid, some of the more recent health and environmental protections went into effect, are definitely at high risk for developing these lung conditions.
