Table 2-15. Respirable coal mine dust: Number of samples, geometric mean exposures, and percent exceeding designated occupational exposure limits by industry, MSHA inspector and mine operator and OSHA samples, 1995–2003
CIC - Census Industry Code PEL - permissible exposure limit REL - recommended exposure limit GM - geometric meanmg/m3 - milligrams per cubic meterMRE - Mining Research EstablishmentMSHA - Mine Safety and Health AdministrationOSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration* includes industries with no samples exceeding the REL or industries with less than 10 samples.
Note: In coal mining, for respirable dust containing less than or equal to 5% quartz, the MSHA PEL is 2 mg/m3 MRE; for respirable dust containing greater than 5% quartz, the MSHA PEL is [(10 mg/m3 MRE) / (% quartz)]. The NIOSH REL of 1 mg/m3 MRE for respirable
Source: MSHA coal mine inspector and mine operator dust data. OSHA Integrated Management Information System.
