The survey, which asked over 300 tradespeople who had experienced workplace injury about the impact of workplace injuries and illness, revealed that 50% of the respondents had lost income or a contract due to their injury.

Of those asked, 35% miss one to two weeks of work a year due to work-related sickness or accidents. Based on the average day rate of £238, those who have had to take up to two weeks off work would lose over £2,380 annually.

The study also explored the maximum time tradespeople have had to take off due to an injury or illness, with the most common answer (23%) being four months.

Based on the same-day rate, those who had to take four months off for an injury could have lost up to £20,508 of income in that year. 

Despite the risk of injury—and accompanying income loss—in the construction industry, more than four in 10 tradespeople reported not having insurance to protect them against accidents on site, putting their finances and livelihoods at risk. 

According to Health and Safety England (HSE) data, the economic cost of workplace injury and ill health in the construction sector was estimated at £1.3 billion for the year 2021/22, in addition to personal costs.

The survey also explored the most common causes of workplace injuries for tradespeople, with 44% of tradespeople reporting that “faulty equipment or tools” caused their injuries.

Other reasons given were “Lack of PPE” (38%) and “Poor safety regulations on-site” (36%).

The most common causes of workplace injuries to tradespeople 

41% of respondents who had experienced an injury reported that it was caused by a third party (such as a co-worker), while a fifth of respondents reported not always taking the necessary health and safety measures at work, potentially putting themselves at risk of harm.