Long-term experience in collecting and using occupational health data in the coal industry

Three separate data systems have been developed by the National Coal Board during the last 30 yr to accommodate information on the health and occupational environment of its employees. The first deals with routine measurements of airborne dust underground. The second records changes in miners’ chest radiographs. The third is concerned with research on relationships between levels of dust and lung diseases. The differing objectives of the systems are described and it is argued that there are advantages to maintaining separate procedures and systems in pursuit of these objectives.