To investigate the status of coal dust hazard classification and lung function damage in a large coal mine in Shanxi Province.

From January to June in 2019, 51 coal dust posts and 598 workers exposed to coal dust were selected from a large coal mine enterprise in Shanxi Province. The coal dust (exhaled dust) samples were collected and tested, and the hazard classification index of coal dust (exhaled dust) was calculated. The jobs exposed to coal dust (exhaled dust) were divided into relatively harmless, mild, moderate and severe hazard posts, and the corresponding workers were divided into relatively harmless group, mild, moderate and severe hazard groups. The forced expiratory volume (FEV1) , forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) in the first second were measured. Spearman rank correlation method was used to analyze the relationship between the hazard grade of coal dust and lung function.

Among 51 coal dust (exhalation) posts, 13 coal dust (exhalation dust) exceeded the standard (25.5%) . 168 cases (34.78%) had abnormal pulmonary function. Compared with the relatively harmless group, the proportion of abnormal pulmonary function of workers in mild, moderate and severe hazard groups were higher, FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC values were lower, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05) . The rank of coal dust (exhaled dust) was negatively correlated with FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC (P<0.01) .

Attention should be paid to the supervision and management of relatively harmless and slightly harmful coal dust posts. FVC may be one of the lung function indexes sensitive to coal dust exposure.

Pneumoconiosis; Respiratory function; Classification; Forced expiratory volume; Vital capacity; Epidemiologic studies; A large-scale coal mine enterprise