Background. In the year 2003, 762 incident cases of pneumoconiosis and 3686 incident cases of chronic respiratory disease were reported in Colombia. Objective. To evaluate the utility of spirometry and oximetry in determining the prevalence of respiratory dysfunction among coal miners from Paipa, Colombia and to establish possible factors associated with such dysfunction; like age and duration of exposure, in order to propose occupational health preventive measures. Materials and methods. Cross-sectional study. Using a previously designed instrument we surveyed 410 workers from the coal mines. We also evaluated general working conditions, health history and respiratory function parameters using spirometry and oximetry.Results. The average age of the study group was 35,1 years (SD=11,7), and the average exposure time was 12.8 years (SD=11,8). There was a high prevalence of respiratory symptoms: cough (42,7%), expectoration (31,5%); dyspnea (48,8%) and thoracic pain (19,7%). In 26,1 percent of the study participants there was some functional respiratory alteration and in 4 percent, hypoxemia. An exposure time greater than five years was associated with respiratory alterations (OR=1,75) and with hypoxemia (OR=9,30). Also, being older than 40 years was associated with spirometric alterations (OR=1,91) and hypoxemia (OR=3,17). Conclusions. Coal mining is a high-risk activity: there was a high prevalence of symptoms associated with pneumoconiosis and progressing chronic respiratory disease. We also found a high prevalence of alterations of the respiratory pattern and hypoxemia, which suggests that these measurements could be predictors of the development of chronic pulmonary disease of occupational origin.