Best Practices for Dust Control in Coal Mining

Compiled by the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, CDC/NIOSH Office of Mine Safety and Health Research, this 2010 handbook was developed to identify available engineering controls that can help the industry reduce worker exposure to respirable coal and silica dust. The controls discussed in this handbook range from long-utilized controls that have developed into industry standards to newer controls that are still being optimized. The intent was to identify the best practices that are available to control respirable dust levels in underground and surface coal mining operations. This handbook provides general information on the control technologies along with extensive references.