Evaluation of lung function in male population from vocational mining schools of the Lublin Coal Basin.

Occupational exposure to dust and other environmental factors in coal miners may impair the lung function of workers. Besides the coal workers' pneumoconiosis, the inhaled dust may cause decreased ventilatory capacity as a due to chronic bronchitis (9, 13). The same diseases, especially chronic bronchitis, are common in general population and may arise not only from occupational reasons (11, 12). The involvement of the genetic factors, environmental pollutions and cigarette smoking should be considered.