Washington – Coal miners in four states will soon have access to free, confidential screenings for coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, a deadly but preventable lung disease more commonly known as “black lung.”

NIOSH will be providing the screenings via mobile testing units available at mine locations and communities in Alabama, Illinois, Indiana and Pennsylvania as part of its Enhanced Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program.

According to NIOSH, the screenings take about 25 minutes and are scheduled to begin the week of March 3 throughout Alabama.