NIOSH Black Lung Screening Dates and Locations Announced for 2024

MEDIA CONTACT: Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program, 1-888-480-4042, CWHSP@cdc.gov

Coal miners enter NIOSH’s mobile testing unit to be screened for black lung. Credit: NIOSH

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will offer free and confidential black lung screenings to coal miners beginning in April 2024. The screenings support early detection of black lung disease, a serious but preventable disease in coal miners caused by breathing coal mine dust.

NIOSH provides screenings through a mobile testing unit at convenient community and mine locations. This season’s screenings will be offered in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia. All coal miners (current, former, underground, surface, and those under contract) are encouraged to participate.

“The NIOSH mobile unit plays an important role in the early detection of black lung disease,” said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. “When caught early, steps can be taken to help prevent black lung from progressing to the most serious forms of the disease.”

Participation provides coal miners with a free screening and a confidential report on their lung health.

Screenings will take approximately 30 minutes and will include:

• A work history and respiratory health questionnaire
• A chest x-ray
• Blood pressure screening
• A breathing test (spirometry)

Screenings are confidential by law. Each miner will be provided their results within 8-10 weeks from their screening appointment. Appointments are recommended but walks-ins are welcome.

To find screening locations, dates, and times, visit the NIOSH Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program webpage. Information will also be posted on Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter. Local and individual outreach will be done in all specific locations.

Through the mobile health screenings, NIOSH is bringing life-saving medical screening to areas hit hardest by the black lung epidemic. To date, NIOSH has provided more than 40,000 free black lung screenings for coal miners. In addition to providing high-quality health screening, NIOSH’s Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program plays a major role in tracking the burden of lung disease in coal miners and in detecting recent increases in black lung affecting coal miners.

NIOSH is the federal institute that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths. Find more information about NIOSH at www.cdc.gov/niosh.