Underground workers are spared the heat of the sun's rays, but the temperatures can still rise to a dangerously high level. While a Federal Heat would undoubtedly be a welcome addition especially for coalem workers, there is an even more fatal risk that you are waiting for you every time you take this long, dark journey into the mine. In Appalachia, where the coal seams have been dismantled for centuries, miners now have to work for a long time to cut more and more rocks – and this rock is with crystalline silicon dioxide, a substance that is 20 – 20 times more toxic than cabbage dust. Silica causes an enormous amount of damage to the lung and is the main factor that drives the current increase in black lung diseases. The progressive, incurable lung disease now affects 1 out of 5 long -standing coal mining workers in central appal axis, and the most serious form, progressive massive fibrosis, kills young, currently working miners.
Niosh first recognized the risk of breathing forest dust in 1974, but it took decades of fighting to finally get a new MSHA standard in the books. In April 2024, the miners finally won – but unfortunately the Trump government, which was separated by the continued support of Republican politicians, came into force in just a few days before the rule. They announced that the enforcement of the rule would become “involved” by August. Four months do not seem to be much time, but that is four more months in which thousands of workers of toxic dust and four more months of irreparable damage to the lungs are exposed to the lungs.
In the end, both the heat stress standard and the silicon dioxide standard would save millions of workers from illness, injury and death. It is difficult to understand why someone would oppose them, but the Trump government has clarified in the past four months how little it will take care of the life of the workers, let alone their security. In accordance with Trump's malignant crusade against the most endangered members of the American society, attacks such as this will continue to influence the most marginalized persons on the safety of employees. The Economic Policy Institute has found that older workers, immigrants, black employees and Latino workers are highly risk, and found that in 2023 67% of those who were killed in the job were immigrants. Blacks and Latino workers tend to die in the job, with Latino workers having the highest fat quota in the workplace. “
Things don't look good, but it is important to remember that we have been here before. Even if Trump succeeds in cutting Osha on his knees and weakening what is left of our existing protection of workers' security, the working class is still in a better position than before Osha's existence. This is not due to slow government actions or benevolent politicians; It is because workers organized and fought and together in view of the forces who tried to share them. We are the reason why these laws and standards exist; Nobody in a wood -like office in DC granted us from the kindness of your heart. Strong unions, organizations, community loyalty and mutual auxiliary groups, are the only reasons why we made it through the industrial revolution, the gilded age and the global economic crisis and all crises have taken place. This is how we do it through this: together.