From August 9 through August 12 , The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, N.I.O.S.H., will provide confidential black lung screenings to coal miners for free. The NIOSH mobile testing unit will provide the screenings at locations in Hazard and
Pikeville.

The screenings provide early detection of black lung disease, Black Lung  is a serious disease but is preventable. The disease is caused by prolonged breathing in coal dust. Participation provides coal miners a free health screening and a confidential status report on their lung health.

Screening will include a work history and respiratory questionnaire, a chest x-ray, a blood pressure screening and will take approximately 15 minutes .

All coal miners — all of those who are current, former, underground, surface, and those under contract — are invited to participate. By law, anyone who receives a screening will be provided their results confidentially. Individual medical information and test results are protected health information and not publicly disclosed.

Those interested can call, 1-888-480-4042, to schedule an appointment