NPR News Investigations

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health sent a mobile testing unit to a fire station in Wharton, W.Va., in 2012 to screen coal miners for black lung disease.

Lawmakers Seek Better Count Of Advanced Black Lung Disease Cases

8:44pm December 21, 2016

by Howard Berkes

In response to an NPR investigation that shows 10 times the number of cases as currently reported, members of Congress are asking three federal agencies to work together to obtain an accurate count.

Branham wears reflective mining pants in his home in Elkhorn City, Ky. Branham has advanced stage black lung and was forced to quit mining earlier this year.

Advanced Black Lung Cases Surge In Appalachia

10:08am December 16, 2016

by Howard Berkes

An NPR investigation has documented dramatic spikes in complicated black lung, the most serious stage of the deadly coal miners' disease.

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The Pentagon building complex is seen from Air Force One on June 29. An Army review concludes that commanders did nothing wrong when they kicked out more than 22,000 soldiers for misconduct after they came back from Iraq or Afghanistan – even though all

Senators, Military Specialists Say Army Report On Dismissed Soldiers Is Troubling

12:25pm December 01, 2016

by Daniel Zwerdling

The review was ordered after NPR found that 22,000 soldiers diagnosed with mental health problems or brain injuries were dismissed for misconduct. The Army concluded it fairly dismissed them.

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An aerial view of the Lewisburg prison complex.

National

37 Civil Rights Groups Seek Investigation Into 'Torture' At Lewisburg Prison

9:30pm November 28, 2016

by Joseph Shapiro

They are asking the Department of Justice for action after NPR and The Marshall Project "uncovered harrowing allegations of abuse and torture" inside the prison.

The Special Management Unit at Lewisburg prison, which was created in 2009 for "dangerously violent, confrontational, defiant, antagonistic inmates," has received many complaints about its use of restraints on inmates.

National

Inside Lewisburg Prison: A Choice Between A Violent Cellmate Or Shackles

3:44pm October 26, 2016

At one of the toughest prisons in America, doubling up inmates in cells designed for solitary confinement can lead to violence, and for some who refuse a cellmate, handcuffs and chains.

A coal separator sorts and piles up coal at the Tams mountaintop removal mine near Beckley, W.Va. The mine is operated by Southern Coal Corp., which is owned by Jim Justice.

National

Billionaire Gubernatorial Candidate Owes $15 Million In Taxes And Fines

10:29am October 07, 2016

by Howard Berkes

Two years after an NPR investigation showed mines owned by Jim Justice failed to pay safety penalties, a new analysis shows he is the nation's top mine safety delinquent and owes millions.

National

Labor Report Urges Study Of A Federal Role In State Workers' Comp Laws

1:15pm October 05, 2016

The Department of Labor is calling for an "exploration" of federal oversight of state workers' compensation laws because of "inadequacies of the system," leaving workers with "limited benefits."

Bill Minick, the president of PartnerSource, a Texas company that writes and administers opt-out plans, vowed that despite the Oklahoma Supreme Court decision, he would continue efforts to promote alternative plans in other states.

National

Companies Can't Set Own Rules For Injured Workers, Okla. Court Says

5:24pm September 13, 2016

by Michael Grabell

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled it is unconstitutional for big companies such as Wal-Mart and Lowe's to opt out of state workers' compensation insurance in favor of writing their own plans.

Lead water pipes are still used in many U.S. homes.

Lead Levels Below EPA Limits Can Still Impact Your Health

8:41am August 13, 2016

by Jessica Pupovac

Even tiny amounts of lead in the water can cause IQ deficits in children or high blood pressure in adults.

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Teresa, 31, worked at a pork processing plant in Nebraska for five years until injuries to her shoulder forced her to quit. She still has pain and can only work part-time.

National

Working 'The Chain,' Slaughterhouse Workers Face Lifelong Injuries

11:48am August 11, 2016

by Peggy Lowe

Workers at American slaughterhouses and meat processing plants perform thousands of repetitive motions every day. The work often lead to invisible, yet painful and lasting injuries to their bodies.

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