It was a victory to tens of thousands of miners suffering from Osteoarthritis of the knee as the government announced that they can now claim State financial assistance for occupational disability.
Osteoarthritis of the knee, commonly called the ‘Miners’ knee’, will be added to the list of ‘prescribed diseases’ for which industrial injuries disablement benefit can be paid by the State, Mr. James Purnell, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, announced yesterday. This means Miners’ knee victims can now claim State compensation for the disease, through the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.
Miners’ knee is a chronic knee condition caused by working underground. Symptoms of the disease include pain, swelling, stiffness of the knee and restricted mobility. Unions claim that Miners’ knee is a result of years of repetitive work in cramped conditions.
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Mr. Purnell was glad that the government was now in a position to extend financial assistance to coal miners afflicted with this painful condition due to years of hard work underground. He noted that Osteoarthritis of the knee had made life unbearable for thousands of retired miners, and forced thousands of others to terminate their working life earlier than planned. The change is expected to come into force in the summer.
Kitty Ussher, DWP Parliamentary Under Secretary, said, she is pleased about this development, which would help miners who were afflicted with this condition through no fault of their own. She estimated that thousands of former miners would benefit from this aid.
The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, an independent statutory body, had recommended that coal miners suffering from the Miner’s knee because of working underground for ten years or more should be able to claim the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.