"No miner should ever have to sacrifice their health or lungs in order to provide for their family.”

Chris Williamson, the assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health, regarding new federal guidelines that protect coal workers from toxic silica dust. The updated rules will make the exposure limit to silica dust twice as restrictive as currently allowed and will directly regulate exposure so that citations and fines are possible when miners are overexposed. (NPR — April 16, 2024)