The agency will use EasyOne Air for its periodic lung function testing performed on both underground and surface coal miners.
The portable EasyOne Air, which features real-time results and a colour touchscreen and can be used in a clinical environment or on-site, is the third ndd product approved for use in the CWHSP.
The company cited the agency's recent research letter that revealed the recording of 416 cases of progressive massive fibrosis or complicated black lung between 2013 and 2017, a significant rise in numbers. NIOSH regulations require periodic spirometry screenings for both underground and surface coal miners, and the pulmonary function testing must be completed in a NIOSH-approved facility by a specially certified tester.
The CWHSP focuses on employees exposed to coal and silica dust that could cause black lung disease, silicosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
