42% of Tradespeople Say Extreme Heat Is a Growing Threat to Their Work

This is the coolest summer for the rest of your life. At least that’s one way some are looking at the ongoing effects of climate change. And we’re not talking cool as in Brit Pop in the 90’s cool. There’s no ‘Cool Britania’ round here. No Liam, Noel and Damon to dissect. Just uncomfortably hot tradespeople struggling through their days with a genuine concern about the heat they face.

Is the heat a real concern for tradespeople?

According to our survey - yes, it is. 42% of tradespeople that Rhino surveyed said that the heat is a growing concern about their ability to work. In fact, over 25% have postponed jobs, 33% have changed their working hours and of those, 77% are starting earlier to avoid the heat. These are real changes that tradespeople are making to their working habits to counter the heat they’re facing.

Who does the heat affect more?

This is difficult to pinpoint exactly but, of the customers that have been surveyed, 17% said that they or a member of their team had suffered a heat-related illness such as dizziness, dehydration or heat exhaustion. So, it’s safe to say that the heat is having its impact on the industry.

Tradespeople work both indoor and out, and often it’s a mixture of the two. Whilst the obvious concern is around those that work outside in the direct sunlight, there is also a significant impact on those that work indoors too.

UK households are designed to keep the heat in, so working indoors doesn’t give much respite either. Even thinking about putting your head in the loft is sweat inducing, let alone spending the day on your hands and knees up there. So, whether you’re inside or out, the heat is increasingly problematic.

What can tradespeople do about it?

At the moment, tradespeople are doing everything they can. Water intake is increasing on the hottest days (91%), sun cream being slapped on (49%) and work is being carried out in shaded areas when possible (49%).

Until there’s a legal maximum working temperature in place – 64% of tradespeople surveyed believe that there should be – tradespeople will continue taking action into their own hands.

Adjusting working hours in order to avoid the hottest times of the day is becoming common practice (33%) allowing for jobs to be completed on time. However, there is an increasing trend of jobs being postponed due to the heat (over 25%) which has significant knock-on effects for future jobs, as well as the obvious delay to the initial job. All in, the postponement of jobs can cause reputational damage to a business and, crucially, a potential hit to its bottom line.

A full breakdown of our survey can be found here.

What are the financial implications of the heat?

The financial impact of extreme heat on the UK economy is significant. About £4.4bn according to this report. And although that report relates to the whole of the UK, self-employed tradespeople will be feeling those effects as well.

One of the biggest challenges is the impact extreme heat can have on productivity. Working in high temperatures usually means a slower pace of work, energy levels deplete at a faster rate and some workers are forced off the tools entirely.

For tradespeople who often work on their own, a slower pace of work can have a significant impact on the number of jobs completed. And for those who have small teams, a member missing for a day or two can reduce the amount of work a business can take on.

How can Rhino help?

Unfortunately, an insurance firm doesn’t quite hold the same power as Mother Nature, so whilst we can’t affect the extreme heat, we can help provide a level of financial protection to the self-employed and small business owners should they be unable to work for more than 30 days due to injury or illness.

Rhino’s Personal Accident Insurance and Income Protection help provide you with tax-free payments should you be forced off the tools. Personal Accident Insurance will pay out a lump-sum fee, whereas Income Protection Insurance can provide you with monthly payment instalments up to your chosen level of cover. Speak to a member of the team if you want to find out more.