Coal, the reality show

[Kellydelly]

I caught this a couple nights ago for the first time. Why are the men not wearing any respirators or masks to protect their lungs from the coal dust? I was watching the show in disbelief at what seemed to be their lack of protection . Is anyone here a coal miner or closely related to one and can explain that to me?

 

[IdesOmarch]

I would like to know why anyone would be interested in watching a show about coal miners? Really? Coal miners? How is this entertaining? Not flaming you just curious.

Talk about these networks jumping the shark. I guess a show about janitors is next. We'll get to know everything we need to know about how to clean toilets.

 

[Daddy_of_Princesses]

I caught this a couple nights ago for the first time. Why are the men not wearing any respirators or masks to protect their lungs from the coal dust? I was watching the show in disbelief at what seemed to be their lack of protection . Is anyone here a coal miner or closely related to one and can explain that to me?

I don't know if this is the answer, but when I was younger I worked in a rock quarry, and the machines created alot of dust. In the winter I would wear a mask, but in the summer it was so I hot I usually didn't wear one. I would think it would be cooler under ground, but I don't know, this might be why they don't wear them.

I would like to know why anyone would be interested in watching a show about coal miners? Really? Coal miners? How is this entertaining? Not flaming you just curious.

Talk about these networks jumping the shark. I guess a show about janitors is next. We'll get to know everything we need to know about how to clean toilets.

Hey, they have a show now about coupons, so I guess anything is a viable tv show.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I caught this a couple nights ago for the first time. Why are the men not wearing any respirators or masks to protect their lungs from the coal dust? I was watching the show in disbelief at what seemed to be their lack of protection . Is anyone here a coal miner or closely related to one and can explain that to me?

I saw this as well. It was fascinating.

I tried Googling coal miners and respirators and this is about the best example of what I could come up with. This is speaking about the "Supersize Me" guy Morgan Spurlock, who did a "30 days" show and one of the times he did "30 days" in a coal mine.

So, you might ask - why don't these guys just wear respirators? Morgan put one on and besides being cumbersome; he said he felt like he was getting less air, so he took it off. Each year, there are 4,000 new cases of black lung among coal miners in the U.S.

http://popular-culture.families.com/blog/morgan-spurlock-spends-30-days-in-a-coal-mine

 

[DisneyScraps]

We caught a little of this and I thought it was highly amusing that they needed subtitles for people that speak ENGLISH.

Hysterical!

Lisa

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We caught a little of this and I thought it was highly amusing that they needed subtitles for people that speak ENGLISH.

Hysterical!

Lisa

Yes that was awesome!!!

OK, I think I have answered the question of why they do not wear respirators. It appears that the wearing of a respirator is the last resort of mining.

In addition only people with healthy lungs are able to wear them. If you have lung damage all bets are off.

So here is an interesting read.....

Despite what the doctor/congressman might think, the answer is not as easy as a surgical mask and latex gloves. The most effective way to protect workers from dangerous workplace hazards is to control them at the source. With coal dust, that means controlling the dust with water sprays, ventilation and dust collectors. Wearing a respirator should be the last line of defense, and for workers who already have impaired lungs, breathing through a respirator is not even an option.

http://scienceblogs.com/thepumphandle/2011/02/congressman_blames_us_coal_min.php

 

[Kellydelly]

I was thinking that working where they do is already claustrophobic, so adding a mask to your face would make you feel even more closed in.

 

[LBIJim]

I would like to know why anyone would be interested in watching a show about coal miners? Really? Coal miners? How is this entertaining? Not flaming you just curious.

Talk about these networks jumping the shark. I guess a show about janitors is next. We'll get to know everything we need to know about how to clean toilets.

Apparently there's an audience for shows featuring dangerous occupations, such as Deadliest Catch, Ice Truckers, and others. A NY Times article about a month ago said a sizeable portion of the audience for these shows is white-collar men dreaming some macho fantasy.

 

[DisMN]

They don't wear the masks for all the reasons listed. It makes them uncomfortably hot, which in turn distracts them from what they're doing. Being distracted in any way when you are in a mining job is just asking for a big accident.

Besides making them hot, they're not comfortable, many men do get claustrophobic wearing them and so many men wear glasses and have other physical impairments that make wearing respirators difficult if not impossible.

DH works in an above ground mine and recently they've had some major problems with taconite dust settling down in the lower portion of the pits......so the mask conversation has been frequent at our household lately.