Managing risks for food delivery workers

With food delivery becoming more and more popular, new guidance has been published to help the industry and its delivery riders and drivers work as safely as possible.

These two guides highlight the duties of workers, PCBUs and health and safety representatives:

• Managing risks in the food delivery industry: Delivery riders
• Managing risks in the food delivery industry: Food outlets

They cover safety for delivery riders using bicycles and scooters, including electric bicycles and scooters (where permitted) and may also be of assistance if you deliver food on a motorbike or in a car. The focus is on work health and safety requirements – if you are using any vehicle on a public road, you will also need to make sure you comply with road safety and driver licensing requirements.

You could be a worker and the PCBU if you’re doing the delivery work as your own business, but there are many factors to consider. For example, self-employment suggests you may be a PCBU.

Published by Safe Work Australia, the guides also include information on managing risks; control measures and reviewing them; consultation and cooperation; legislative duties; and the rights of workers to a health and safety representative or if they believe their work to be unsafe.

There are tips and advice on personal protective equipment, particularly important during pandemics. Employers are advised they must provide PPE to control any risks that remain after other control measures have been put into place. PPE must be maintained in good working order, be clean and hygienic, and repaired or replaced when needed.

If you provide PPE to delivery workers, you must:

• ensure workers wear it
• ensure it is suited to the tasks they carry out and the correct size and fit—you must consult with workers when selecting PPE
• provide them with information, training and instructions on how to use, wear, store and maintain it.

Further information

Read Managing risks in the food delivery industry: Delivery riders and Managing risks in the food delivery industry: Food outlets