Scientist sues King’s for £50k claiming he has repetitive strain from constant pipetting

A scientist who completed his doctorate at the Comprehensive Cancer Centre at King’s College London is now suing the university for £50,000 due to injuries sustained while undertaking laboratory work. 

During his postdoctoral training at the centre, Dr Syed Mian, 36, claims that continually squeezing pipettes while working meant that he developed RSI, repetitive strain injury, on both hands, the Daily Mail reports. 

The scientist also claims that he developed anxiety and depression due to the injury, and was unable to handle manual work.

An award-winning research fellow, Mian was working at the university’s Denmark Hill Campus when he sustained the injury in July 2018. He now continues research work at the Francis Crick Institute, London.

via Twitter

He was diagnosed with tenosynovitis on his right hand, a form of RSI, which caused swelling on his wrist and thumb. As a result, he switched to pipetting with his left hand, but subsequently developed a similar injury there. 

Mian’s lawyers argued that the nature of his work required “a significant amount of pressure and he would do this task for lengthy periods without rotation or a break throughout the day”.

King’s lawyers responded that, although they admit a breach of duty, they should not have to pay the former employee any compensation, as he “failed to report in time that he was experiencing symptoms as a result of his work” and continued with the same tasks despite them being the alleged source of his injury. 

The case is to be heard at Central London County Court on a date to be decided. 

Featured image via @MDSFoundation on Twitter.

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