New Mine Safety Standards Survive Industry Challenge

A federal court has upheld new mine safety standards that will go into effect on Feb. 1. The new rules require the use of continuous personal dust monitors and the collection of more frequent air samples. Industry groups unsuccessfully challenged the implementation of these standards twice. The new rules come as cases of black lung disease — an irreversible disease caused by inhaling coal dust — have risen dramatically. Since the 1990s, the frequency of the disease in long-term miners has doubled, from five to ten percent. — Elizabeth E. Payne