Table 1. Study background: numbers of insured subjects and recognized cases of the occupational diseases silicosis and silicotuberculosis, Germany, 2000–2009^a.

	Number of insured subjects in the mining industry		Number of recognized silicosis cases		Number of recognized silicotuberculosis cases
Year	Mining total	Hard coal miningb	Mining total	Hard coal miningb	Mining total	Hard coal miningb
2000	118,770	55,707	1,200	1,027	20	15
2001	107,779	47,800	1,158	1,022	31	23
2002	105,722	45,661	970	873	21	18
2003	99,502	42,173	854	771	20	15
2004	92,772	40,134	866	756	18	13
2005	87,759	35,592	721	636	10	7
2006	81,595	32,473	550	447	13	9
2007	78,224	27,950	395	335	13	9
2008	75,646	24,840	320	243	10	9
2009	71,707	22,117	1,035	890	13	9
Total	919,476	374,447	8,069	7,000	169	127

^aSource: Dr. W. Hummitzsch, Institution for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in Resources and Chemical Industry, Sector Mining, Bochum, Germany, personal communication.

^bNote: The numbers for hard coal mining apply to both underground and surface mining. In general, underground hard coal miners are concerned. The increase of recognized silicosis cases in 2009 is due to a change in the guideline for the diagnosis and expert opinion of minimal pneumoconiosis [24]. Due to long exposure times and latency, the presented numbers provide only rough estimates of the related risk of disease development.