Improving Respirable Coal Dust Exposure Monitoring and Control in the Australian Coal Industry

This project was supported to research a number of questions relating to monitoring and controlling coal dust exposure as a consequence of the first case of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) in over thirty years being reported in Queensland in 2015.

The project undertook the following:

• Current research into reducing exposure to respirable coal dust;
• Reviewing the basis used for setting a workplace exposure standard (WES) for respirable coal dust;
• Analysing the current trends in exposure data and any underlying points of interest;
• Establishing the state of the art with respect to current dust prevention and mitigation controls and their effectiveness;
• The capacity to monitor respirable coal dust in real time - what techniques are available and what are their limitations; and
• Future directions for research into better control of respirable coal dust exposure.

The research seeks to address the points above and better define the next questions for future research.

The report is separated into 4 distinct topics:

• History of exposure standards;
• Personal monitoring approaches;
• Personal exposure data;
• Controls.