Pneumoconiosis in coal miners in two companies affiliated to the Instituto de Seguros Sociales, Seccional Valle del Cauca

Abstract

A prevalence assessment of pneumoconiosis was made in a representative sample of 163 workers from 2 coal mining companies in Valle del Cauca, Colombia. X-ray pictures of each one, a questionnaire about respiratory diseases, and measurements of the concentration of breathable dust and percentage of silica were performed. It was found that there was a 9.8% pneumoconiosis prevalence in the two mining companies (16 positive cases). The average time exposition of sick people was 16.6 +- 7.8 years; the more exposition time, the higher pneumoconiosis prevalence was found. There was statistical significance. These teen-positive cases were workers on chopping blocks. It was also observed that there were concentrations higher than 5% of silica in front of the 17 workplaces studied. It was very high to the threshold limit value of breathable dust in 13 of the 17 samples taken.