The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) is offering coal miners in several states free and confidential health screenings as part of the Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program (CWHSP). These screenings are intended to try and detect pneumoconiosis, or black lung, early on so that workers may be better treated. It is a lung disease often seen in miners because of the dust, but if it is caught early it is more treatable than if it progresses.

NIOSH’s Mobile Occupational Safety and Health Unit will visit several locations in these states to conduct black lung screenings. The exams are open to current, former, underground, surface and contract miners and all results remain confidential. Exams include a work history questionnaire, a chest radiograph, a respiratory assessment questionnaire, spirometry testing to assess lung function and a blood pressure screening.

They are starting in Kentucky on March 19^th (Kentucky dates and locations). They will be in West Virginia starting March 26^th (West Virginia dates and locations) and Pennsylvania in April (Pennsylvania dates and locations). The announcement from NIOSH says to monitor the organization’s Facebook and Twitter pages for updates on specific locations, as well as to check if additional screenings are scheduled.

Check out the press release from NIOSH for more information.