Windiest year in Britain in more than 20 years

Parts of the UK have been hit hard this summer, with high winds and torrential rain. But how is it affecting business, and what can we do to try and combat it?

The dreadful summer has been caused by low pressure and winds from the Atlantic, which is experiencing lower temperatures than average. As a result we have seen increasingly stronger wind speeds, which not only ruins summer holidays – it has also had a knock on effect for thousands of British businesses.

This year Britain is set to be the windiest in more than 20 years, so it’s critical that businesses try to tackle the issue. The weather has had an adverse impact on retail sector, which is suffering from a drop in sales and profits. And the construction, shipping and other sectors that involve working outdoors are suffering badly too.

For these industries, summer is their busiest months but because of the dangerous weather they may be unable to start and complete work. Adverse weather conditions raises health and safety issues and can damage equipment, so it is understandable why workers are reluctant to do their job. And many contractor agreements outline that if the weather is too dangerous to work in, then legally they are not obliged to.

The weather can’t be changed but technology can help to solve the problem. Monitoring wind speeds, particularly in construction, can ensure that it is safe to go ahead with the work. Without any technology the decision of whether it is safe to work is down to personal judgement, and this could lead to serious consequences.

Advances in technology can’t change the weather, but they can help to protect businesses against it.