UK tradespeople lose over £ 1,300 a year due to bad weather , new research has revealed , with the average person having to miss a week ’ s worth of work every 12 months . With winter approaching , the study , conducted by IronmongeryDirect , the UK ’ s largest supplier of specialist ironmongery , surveyed tradespeople about the impact of bad weather on their work and finances .

It found that , on average , tradespeople lose 7.2 days a year because of factors like rain , snow and wind . With the typical UK day rate standing at £ 184 , this means that workers are missing out on £ 1,325 every 12 months . However

, with almost two in five ( 38 %) people losing over a week and one in ten ( 10 %) missing over a fortnight , this figure will be far higher for some . Having to cancel or delay two weeks of work would cost a tradesperson , on average , £ 2,576 .

Many tradespeople don ’ t get paid for days they don ’ t work , which explains why almost a third ( 29 %) say they can ’ t afford to pause jobs for bad weather . A fifth ( 20 %) work in all conditions and say that doing so is just part of the industry . Sadly , this means many people put their health and safety at risk . Almost one in ten ( 9 %) tradespeople say they have felt ill after working in bad weather ; one in

12 ( 8 %) have felt unsafe and one in 16 ( 6 %) have been injured .

The pressure to continue working isn ’ t purely financial . More than one in ten ( 11 %) say their clients expect them to work regardless of the conditions . Some trades are more likely to be affected by the weather than others . Landscapers suffer the most , with 85 % having to stop work when conditions take a turn for the worse . They are followed by builders ( 84 %), surveyors ( 83 %) and bricklayers ( 83 %).

Dominick Sandford , Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect , said : “ Many tradespeople work outside on a regular basis and in the UK that inevitably

means that weather is often an issue . This can be incredibly frustrating , with deadlines , finances and clients all adding pressure , but no-one should put themselves at risk by working in bad conditions . If you have to work , make sure you check the forecast before committing to dates and ensure you have the right clothing and equipment to keep yourself safe .”

For more information about the research , including which trades are hit hardest during winter , visit : https :// www . ironmongerydirect . co . uk / blog / top-tips-forstaying-safe-whilstworking-in-bad-weather

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