NSW has taken steps to successfully improve the health of its mining workforce with its work to eradicate black lung, proving that this is a preventable disease, NSW Resources Minister Anthony Roberts said.

“The result has been achieved through a deliberate and collaborative approach to introduce and maintain high industry health and safety standards, with independent monitoring and reporting. This is one of the many reasons why we have a world-class mining industry,” he said.

Black lung is a term that is often used interchangeably with coal workers’ pneumoconiosis. It is a debilitating and incurable occupational disease caused by prolonged exposure to respirable coal mine dust.

Workers who have contracted black lung may not show any symptoms for years. As the disease develops into the advanced form, referred to as complicated, those affected may experience chest tightness, breathing problems, emphysema, a chronic cough or other respiratory problems.

There is no debate that these symptoms significantly decrease quality of life and ultimately lead, or contribute to death.

Recent figures from the NSW coal mining industry show that enforced regulation of dust monitoring and health surveillance continue to help protect mine workers from the disease. There have now been no new cases of coal workers pneumoconiosis recorded for decades.

This picture is not replicated around the globe. China continues to report about 6000 deaths annually from black lung, while the United States reports about 1000 deaths per year.

A 2012 investigation in the US by the National Public Radio (NPR) and the Centre for Public Integrity (CPI) identified that the number of Americans diagnosed with the severe form of black lung actually tripled between the 1980s and the 2000s, almost reaching the levels experienced in the 1970s.

It was also recognised that younger miners were now being diagnosed with the disease, which was evolving more quickly to the advanced complicated form.

The NPR/CPI investigation concluded that this unfortunate situation was largely due to loopholes in exposure regulations, poor government enforcement practices and insufficient self-policing by coal mine operators.

Coal Services mines rescue, regulation and compliance general manager Paul Healey said black lung was a preventable disease.

“The resurgence in the US is a sobering reminder that complacency on health, safety and regulatory measures is not an option,” he said.