The Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council’s Delivery Safety Workgroup has released on 29 November 2022 a set of guidelines aimed at preventing delivery accidents.
The guidelines include providing delivery riders and drivers with feedback on safety behaviour using on-board telematics devices or the platform’s app; providing them with benefits or recognition for safety; facilitating defensive riding and driving training; imposing no penalty for declining excessive loads; and imposing no bonus or penalty based on single-trip delivery time.
The guidelines come a week after the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers released its recommendations to the Government. Platform companies will soon be required to provide work injury compensation to platform workers, following the Government’s acceptance of the recommendations.
The WSH Council said the guidelines complement the advisory committee’s recommendations as it would help by preventing injuries from occurring in the first place.
The WSH Council formed the Delivery Safety Workgroup in October 2021 amidst the rising number of fatal delivery accidents.
Four fatal work-related accidents involving delivery workers have occurred so far this year.
The guidelines cover three broad recommendations, including to create stronger motivation to be safe to mitigate temptation among workers to rush deliveries; to equip workers with the knowledge on how to be safe; and to reduce riders’ exposure to unsafe situations, such as carrying heavy loads and rushing during wet weather.
Labour Members of Parliament (MPs) have been calling for more delivery companies to take on more responsibility in safeguarding the safety of both their delivery riders and other road users.
Labour MPs believe delivery workers’ safety becomes a concern because they have a limited time to complete their deliveries, and it is not uncommon for them to take risks to avoid being penalised.
The National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA) is part of the workgroup.
NDCA Advisor Yeo Wan Ling said she welcomes the guidelines.
She said: “NDCA regards the safety and well-being of delivery riders and drivers as a priority and the issue of heavy delivery loads is an area that we are concerned with.
“We look forward to partnering the WSH Council and Nanyang Technological University’s Transport Research Centre in its study on load limits of delivery riders and the safeguards to protect them.”
Although not mandatory, delivery companies said they welcome the guidelines.
The Digital Platform Industry Association (DPIA) is also part of the workgroup. DPIA members include Deliveroo, FoodPanda, and Grab.
DPIA President Jason Parke said the guidelines are in line with the association’s existing measures and policies to enhance riders’ safety, health, and well-being.
He added: “We have consistently engaged our riders and emphasised that their safety and health are of utmost importance when delivering orders. We believe that the WSH guidelines will encourage greater emphasis on rider safety and well-being.”
Advisory Committee on Platform Workers Advisor Koh Poh Koon called on delivery companies to adopt the guidelines.
He said: “Many Singaporeans benefit from the services of our delivery workers. It is only right that we provide them with safe working conditions.
“I urge delivery companies and intermediaries to follow this set of guidelines to enhance the safety of our delivery workers, and make delivery work a safer vocation.”
