Compensation for occupational lung disease in non-mining industry

The course from claim submission (by the National Centre for Occupational Health (NCOH)) to compensation (by the Workmen's Compensation Commissioner (WCC)) in 56 cases of occupational disease (OD) was traced. Success rates were determined and the procedural factors which affect claiIn outcoIDes isolated. Of note are the 22% of claiITls which reIDained unresolved 3 years after subIDission. The long latent period of ODs causes difficulty in obtaining the eITlployer's corroborating docUITlentation; this was found to be a lllajor factor in the non-resolution of claillls. Active intervention by the NCOH resulted in claiITl resolution for an additional 9%. These findings support the proposal that the WCC establish a network of access points for workers where assistance trOIn trained staff is available. It is further recoll1ll1ended that the WCC accept substitutes for the eITlployer's docUITlentary proof in cases where this is unobtainable