Lothian Repetitive Strain Injury Support Group
C/O Lothian TUCRC, Basement, 26 Albany StreetEdinburgh, EH1 3OH:
Telephone: 01501 743140 (home/evening); 0131 556 7318 (LTUCRC)

Prescribed Industrial Diseases

People who develop certain types of RSI may be entitled to Industrial Injury Benefit for a prescribed Industrial Disease as part of the “Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992”

Claims, however are not straightforward, particularly since the government has limited qualification to types of RSI which are recognised as prescribed industrial diseases.

• To claim Disablement Benefit you must be able to prove
• That you have that prescribed industrial disease
• It must have developed after the 4th July 1948
• You must be in an occupation prescribed for that disease
• The disease must be caused by that occupation.

The following are category numbers, descriptions of the diseases and causes of the disease and job categories:-

• A4 – Cramp of the hand due to repetitive movements. eg. Writer’s cramp. Causes are prolonged periods of hand writing, typing or other repetitive movements of the fingers, hand or arm.

Occupations: typists, clerks and routine assemblers.

• A5 – “Beat hand” (Subcutaneous cellulitis).

Causes are work with picks, shovels or other tools causing pressure on the hand. Labourers, miners etc.

• A6 – “Beat knee” or “Housemaids knee” (Bursitis or subcutaneous cellulitis)

Causes work involving a lot of kneeling particularly in wet conditions. Occupations Gas, water, electrical workers and carpet fitters.

• A7 – “Beat Elbow” (Bursitis or subcutaneous cellulitis)

Causes work involving continuous rubbing or pressure on the elbow.

Occupations some assembly workers.

• A8 – Traumatic inflammation of the tendons of the hand or forearm of the associated tendon sheaths (tenosynovitis)

Causes manual labour or repeated movements of the hands or wrists.

Occupations Routine assembly workers.

Note ( Carpal tunnel syndrome has been prescribed as disease A12 but it only applies to people who have worked with hand held power tools whose internal parts vibrate so as to transmit that vibration to the hand and arm.)