Re:An Epidemic Is Killing Thousands of Coal Miners
by cc439 on Tuesday December 18, 2018 @10:30PM
(#18712796)
You've just hit the nail on the head. PPE is an annoyance, especially in the form of devices that make critical bodily functions (like breathing and dissipating heat) difficult. Regulate all you want, workers will voluntarily remove the PPE often enough to incur respiratory damage just like they do with hearing protection in areas that aren't immediately deafeningly loud.
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Re:An Epidemic Is Killing Thousands of Coal Miners
by uxp100 on Tuesday December 18, 2018 @11:39PM
(#18713050)
I listened to this on NPR earlier, didn't reread it, so I don't know if this isn't present in the piece, or other posters just didn't read. Miners said that the respirators got clogged quickly, and it would feel like someone had their hands over your mouth. And the respirators that are recommended and provided protect you from coal dust, but not what causes this disease, silica dust.