Compensation for byssinosis in Great Britain

Byssinosis first became compensatable in Great Britain in May 1941. The claimants were examined by a specially constituted board consisting of chest physicians and medical specialists from the Manchester area. Following the Industrial Injuries Act of 1946, which became operative in July 1948, the examinations were taken over by the Manchester Pneumoconiosis Medical Panel. At first only men who had worked for at least 20 years up to and including cotton carding processes could claim. They had to be permanently and totally incapacitated by the disease. Women workers were included from July 1948, and the disablement required was reduced from total to 50 percent in December 1948. As experience with the diagnosis was gained, the law was changed to cover any degree of disablement in 1956, and in 1974 those with byssinosis grade II was accepted. In 1956 ten years replaced the 20-year qualifying period in the cotton industry, reduced to five years in 1974 and to any period in 1979. In 1951 insurance against the disease was extended to workers in the waste cotton industry and in 1965 to workers in the flax industry. In 1974 the scheduled area in the mill was extended from the carding process up to and including beaming and winding.