Plumbers and electricians suffer from a higher than average number of serious injuries or illnesses, according to a new study*.

21% of workers in the utility sector, recently surveyed had taken time off work because of a major injury while doing their job, compared to the national average of just 19%.

What’s more, a third of this sector has been off work for a month or more. Those workers who had been off for a month or more stated that on average they were off for just over 4 months in total, which is nearly one month over the UK’s average.

Despite this a huge 80% of plumbers, electricians and water engineers don’t have insurance to cover themselves for injury or illness, leaving them at financial risk.

The study, commissioned by family focussed insurance company There® found that out of the 25 industries researched, utilities workers were more worried about losing their jobs when they have to take time off work for being sick than any other industry.

14% of this industry stated that their biggest worry when off work ill was the risk of losing their job, nearly twice as high as the UK average of just 8%. No industry ranked higher.

Workers within the utilities field also commonly feel unable to take a sick day when needed, with 44% feeling their boss wouldn’t understand. Over 60% experience guilt at taking time off for being poorly or injured, which is above the national average of 53%.

The utilities industry ranks first when it comes to worrying about loss of income and not getting paid when unable to work through illness or sickness.

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Philippa McLaglen, Marketing Manager from There® explains: “Our research shows that the utilities industry is hard working and one that feels the pressure when having to take time off work. The concern about loss of income could be explained by the high proportion of self-employed workers in this sector.”

38% of this industry who have taken time off work attributed it to being stressed at work, followed by 31% feeling over-worked; both much higher than the UK average of 29% and 25% respectively.

This stress and pressure takes its toll on the sector who ranked 3rd highest for total days off sick over a worker’s career (45 versus 35 on average). Only workers in the government and health sectors took more time off sick.
Flu and stomach bugs are the most likely causes of time off. Interestingly utility workers are more likely to suffer from colds (25%) when compared to all other industries.

Philippa McLaglen from There added: “It’s ironic that the utilities industry should worry about taking even one day off sick when so many have experienced what it’s like to be laid up and not able to work for a month or more. That situation can have a very real financial impact if wages aren’t coming in. Especially for people who are self employed and don’t have a financial safety net.”

With financial protection, anything is better than nothing to pay the bills if you get injured and can’t do your job. Our Too ill to work insurance is designed to pay out if someone does injure themselves, like breaking an arm or leg, and can’t do their job for a while.”

Average sick days taken per-year across UK-based industries:

• Leisure, Cultural and Sporting Activities 3.8
• Agriculture 3.7
• Research 3.44
• Telecoms 3.35
• Marketing (e.g. Marketing Consultancy, Advertising, PR) 3.2
• Education (Teachers, lecturers) 3.17
• Health (Nurses, GPs, social workers) 3.09
• Design (e.g. Fashion, Graphic Design, Product Design) 3.05
• Media and Publishing 3.01
• Construction 2.8
• Finance (e.g. Banking, Insurance, Accountancy) 2.72
• Computing, Electronics 2.72
• Environmental Services (e.g. Sustainability, Recycling, Alternative Energy) 2.71
• Government, Public Services 2.63
• Engineering 2.52
• Travel and Tourism 2.5
• Utilities (e.g. Gas, Electricity etc) 2.44
• Entertainment (e.g. Music, Film, Theatre) 2.32
• Hospitality (e.g. Accommodation, Restaurants, Fast Food) 2.23
• Retail 2.2
• Transport and Distribution 1.94
• Legal 1.9
• Voluntary Sector (e.g. Charities, Membership Organisations) 1.87
• Property 1.73
• Industry (e.g. Manufacturing, Heavy Industry) 1.59

* Source: The research was conducted by OnePoll on behalf of There® surveying 2,000 employed and self-employed UK workers across 25 industries. Carried out online August 2015.