Despite decades of public health knowledge on prevention, black lung and silicosis are claiming the lives of a new generation of workers, including Appalachian coalminers and Latino countertop fabricators, as the coal industry and the Trump administration resist safety regulations.
John Robinson, a former coalminer from south-west Virginia, received his diagnosis at age 47. His grandfather developed the disease during an era when miners could work for decades before symptoms appeared, often surviving into their 60s, 70s, or 80s. Robinson’s case reflects a broader trend across central Appalachia over the past 20 years, where miners are contracting the illness at significantly younger ages.
Silicosis remains one of the oldest recognized workplace hazards, yet new waves of laborers are falling ill and dying as industry opponents challenge protections and regulators struggle to enforce existing rules designed to safeguard workers.
Industry pushback has always been about profit over people. Sad that nothing has changed in decades despite the evidence.
Silicosis in countertop shops is a totally overlooked crisis. It’s not just mining anymore; it’s every fabrication shop in the country.
They told us coal was safe back in the nineties. Who do we trust when the regulators are asleep at the wheel?
The shift in age of onset is alarming. This proves regulatory capture is literally killing people right now.
My uncle was a fabricator. He never knew the dust was this deadly. We need stricter enforcement, not just rules on paper.
It is horrifying to see these diseases returning with such fury. Young workers deserve better protections than this.