The Occupational Disease & Injury Company Limited

Benefits

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

If you are ill or disabled because of disease caused by certain types of work, you may be able to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit through the Department of Works and Pensions. There is no need to wait for the outcome of your claim against your employer(s) before you claim for industrial injuries, and you can make a claim even if it turns out that you are unable to get damages from your employer(s).

Who is eligible?

You can claim if you were employed in a job that caused you to suffer from the disease. The scheme covers more than 70 diseases, including:

Deafness
A disease caused by working with Asbestos (Mesothelioma, Pleural thickening, Lung caner)
Asthma
Vibration White Finger
Dermatitis
Work Related Upper Limb Disorders (including Carpal Tunnel Syndrome)
Pneumoconiosis (including silicosis)

You can get a full list of illnesses from your regional Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit delivery centre.

Who is not eligible?

You cannot claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit if you were self-employed in work that caused your disease or deafness.

Asbestosis

Asbestos, now illegal to use in buildings, was used extensively in the past. Buildings built before 2000 (e.g. houses, factories, hospitals and schools) may contain asbestos. If you have worked in an environment where you were exposed to asbestos over a number of years (e.g. demolition work, plumbing or lagging), you could be at a high risk of developing asbestosis or a similarly related condition and potentially have a claim.

Occupational Asthma

Occupational asthma can occur following prolonged exposure to substances at work, often specific to that industry (e.g. isocyanates, from the manufacture of paint, polyurethane foam, adhesives or surface coatings). When the bronchi tubes in the lungs are irritated, the airways narrow making it difficult to breath. This may cause wheezing or coughing and the chest become tight. The narrowing can be reversible, with the aid of inhalers.

Industrial Deafness

Industrial deafness is usually caused by the repeated exposure to excessive noise at work. Because hearing deteriorates gradually, the sufferer may not be aware that noise-induced hearing loss has occurred. Symptoms can include distorted or muffled sounds and difficulty in understanding speech, particularly in a crowded room. A simple hearing test can tell you if you suffer from noise-induced hearing loss.

Occupational Dermatitis

Occupational dermatitis affects virtually all industries and businesses. Initial symptoms can be redness, itching, scaling and blistering, but the skin can crack or bleed. Dermatitis can be severe enough to keep you off work and serious enough to force you to have to change your job. When spotted quickly and adequate precautions are taken, most people can make a full recovery. However, some people are affected for life.

Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome

This condition is caused by the repeated and frequent use of hand held vibrating tools. Symptoms of white finger (VWF) may start when your hands get cold. To begin with, attacks are usually occasional and cause the fingertips to become white. However, with additional vibrations, the injury becomes worse. Sometimes, a person may only suffer with sensory nerve damage, developing problems of pins and needles or numbness in their fingers.

Claim Form