Coal mining is one of the oldest, yet physically demanding jobs there is. There are plenty of coal mining career opportunities and often it can pay very well. You also don’t need too much education and anyone, from all walks off life, can usually secure a job as a coal miner. Although the safety and health precautions are getting better with new technologies, there are a lot of risks associated with coal mining, lung disease and the possibility of getting trapped in the mine.

However, one of the biggest benefits in securing a job as a coal miner is that the benefits are usually quite good, not only for the person working in the mine, but also for the family. So coal mining is a great job for someone who is designated as the breadwinner for the family. These benefits include health, dental and even retirement. The pay can also be quite good, sometimes double minimum wage, which is great for a job that takes very little education or technical training to qualify.

Yet, coal mining is incredibly physically exhausting. You usually spend upwards of 12 hours a day digging and picking. When you finally emerge from the mine, your muscles are sore and over worked. It can also by psychologically demanding, because often you are very deep in the earth’s crust, in total darkness.

Coal mining also has very negative health consequences. After years of breathing in the thick dust of the coal, workers can contract a disease called pneumoconiosis or “black lung.” Symptoms include heavy coughing and shortness of breath. And unfortunately, there is no successful treatment for the disease – so workers are often advised to stay away from the coal mines, which can mean a loss of a livelihood.

After a while you might think that the cons out weight the pros, but often times coal mining companies do their best to accommodate their workers and make sure that their working conditions and housing conditions are suitable. Many of these companies will offer subsidized or free housing to their workers, which is great for coal miners with a family to look after.

At the end of the day, you might be better off laying pex pipe and becoming a plumber, contractor or construction worker. If you are suitable for a physically demanding, manual labor job there are plenty of other jobs besides coal mining that might not pay as much – sometimes more depending on the position you find – but that don’t have the same rigorous, physical requirements and potential health hazards. The same goes for people who lack adequate education – there are many careers out there that offer great pay and great benefits. The key, especially if you are the breadwinner of your family, is to provide for your kids, wife and yourself as best as you can without risking your psychological well being and your health. Coal mining – while it is an easier job to acquire in some regions – just might not be worth the risk.