Small businesses are more than a third (37 per cent) more likely to have an accident on a Monday than any other day of the week, according to new research from Simply Business.
After the excitement of the weekend is over, it seems small businesses struggle the most at the start of a new week. The research shows that business owners are 26 times more likely to have an accident on a Monday than a Sunday, with the likelihood of accidents falling steadily as the week goes on.
Simply Business insures more than 425,000 small businesses and analysed customer injury and accident claims from 2012-2016. The new research reveals that accidents and injuries have risen by 41 per cent in the last five years, however, 2016 did witness the first dip in accidents and injuries over the past five years, showing signs that business owners are beginning to become more cautious.
Simply Business covers over 1000 different trades and professions, from decorating to dog-walking to dance instructing. This detailed analysis unearthed surprising comparisons in the safety of different sectors; as some tradespeople whose professions are typically thought of as ‘dangerous’ were found to be less accident and injury prone than unexpected alternatives. For example:
- Fitness instructors are three times more likely to have an accident at work than bricklayers
- Hairdressers and beauticians are seven times more likely to have an accident at work than carpenters
- Dog walkers, kennel owners and pet parlours are three times more likely to have an accident at work than lorry drivers
- Simply Business also conducted regional analysis that reveals cities in the north are the more likely to have an accident
When examining the UK’s top ten biggest cities, the business insurance broker found that Liverpool, Glasgow and Manchester topped the list.
Birmingham, Bradford, Edinburgh sit in fourth fifth and sixth, with Leeds, London, Sheffield and Bristol propping up the top ten.
Fiona McSwein, chief customer officer at Simply Business, comments, ‘For the self-employed, an accident at work can have huge implications. Whether it’s time away from work, or reputational damage, a workplace accident could potentially put a small business owner out of work.
‘Our research shows that even businesses that many would consider low-risk – such as hairdressing or dog walking – carry the risk of injury, and it’s particularly surprising when compared to manual trades like bricklaying or carpentry.
‘It’s highly encouraging to see the rate of accidents and injuries starting to dip, with 2016 being the safest of the last five years. It shows that small business owners are increasingly concerned about safety at work. However, no matter how careful small business owners are, we know that any work carries risks. That’s why we’re proud to be insuring not just businesses, but the livelihoods of the self-employed people behind them, offering peace of mind should the worst happen.’
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