How extreme heat is affecting the trades
Nearly 60% of trades jobs have been derailed by the sizzling heat this summer – with more than a quarter of jobs scrapped altogether thanks to the extreme weather.
How extreme heat is affecting the trades
Nearly 60% of trades jobs have been derailed by the sizzling heat this summer – with more than a quarter of jobs scrapped altogether thanks to the extreme weather.
As a result, tradespeople across the UK have lost out on millions of pounds of work since the first heatwave hit in May 2026. This is part of a broader picture which has seen huge heatwave-related losses to the UK economy. With intense heatwaves predicted to become the norm every summer, we find ourselves asking – what does it mean for the trades industry?
Feeling the Burn
Throughout summer 2026, the UK has sweltered under Dubai-like temperatures of up to 38°C. According to a new report, the successive heatwaves from May until the end of July 2026 have had an estimated economic cost of at least £4.4bn*. This is partially due to the decreased productivity that soaring temperatures bring. People work slower when they’re uncomfortably hot – in fact, 70% of those surveyed said they’d been doing exactly this - and some jobs must be postponed until the weather cools down – according to our survey, over a quarter of tradespeople have done this so far this year.
Other factors contributing to this huge cost have included infrastructure and equipment failure. There have been reports of overheating in critical assets including powerlines, rail systems and hospital MRI scanners, so it seems that all sectors are feeling the burn.
Tradespeople Hit Hardest by Extreme Heat?
A landmark survey by Rhino Trade Insurance has discovered that 58% of tradespeople have had their work negatively affected by the hot weather, with majority indicating that they’ve been unable to continue ‘business as usual’ this summer.
It’s hardly surprising that tradespeople been hit so hard by the heat. Many outdoor tasks are downright unsafe during a heatwave – with risks facing roofers, gardeners and builders including sunburn, dehydration and exhaustion. Out of the 1,079 tradespeople Rhino asked, a whopping 186 people had suffered a heat-related illness this summer (e.g., dizziness, heatstroke) or knew a colleague who had. There’s also the consideration of how materials behave in the heat leading to increased danger - 16% of those surveyed said that materials had been affected by the heat - plus an impact on the quality of work, even indoors.
In fact – over half the tradespeople Rhino spoke to worked mainly indoors. UK homes are designed to trap heat, making physical labour indoors almost unbearable without air conditioning. Over a third said that they’d moved jobs in doors to avoid the heat, and unsurprisingly, 70% of the tradespeople Rhino asked were working at a much slower pace, nearly 40% of the tradespeople had experienced delays to project timelines and 70% admitted clocking off early when the heat became too much.
Would a Maximum Working Temperature Help?
This summer, even the most time-served tradesmen and women are having to adapt their working practices around the scorching weather. For example, 77% are starting work earlier in the day to avoid the searing midday sun, and many are being forced to cancel work altogether – with over 25% of jobs axed or postponed due to the heat.
The UK currently has no maximum working temperature. Despite this, 64% of UK tradespeople that Rhino spoke to believed that there should one – a clear workplace standard allowing tradespeople to reduce their hours, slow their pace or even down tools altogether when the weather gets too hot.
More than 40% of Tradespeople Fear for Their Future
According to official sources including the Met Office, heatwaves will only get more frequent, long-lasting and intense. As a result of this, there are growing concerns about the feasibility of trades work during these ultra-hot periods.
Rhino found that 42% of tradespeople say extreme heat is a growing concern for their ability to work altogether. Extreme heat means fewer workable hours, delayed projects, rising costs and increased pressure on customers and trades businesses. This is a devastating blow for an industry that is still struggling to recover from the Covid-19 era.
One thing is clear – extreme weather is not just a temporary disruption anymore. So, the trades industry needs to adapt to this new reality or face an uncertain future.
