SafeWork Inspectors Start

This weekend and throughout February, high risk areas within Sydney for food delivery riders will be targeted by SafeWork Inspectors.  They will observe rider behaviour and overall systems of work and evaluate what they see against draft Work Health and Safety guidance developed in conjunction with Bicycle NSW, the food delivery sector, the Transport Workers Union, riders and restaurants.

These draft guidelines covered a range of issues including:

• rider awareness of road rules,
• the safety equipment riders should use,
• training riders should receive,
• whether booked delivery times were sufficient to allow riders enough time to choose safe, legal routes.

SafeWork Will Ask Questions

SafeWork Inspectors will ask questions around their knowledge and understanding of the WHS requirements, and the way they are working.  This is important to helping SafeWork understand how the industry operates, the best way to regulate it, and improve safety.

If a SafeWork Inspector needs to ask a rider questions they will identify themselves by explaining their role, showing the rider their ID badge and business card.  If a rider is in the middle of a delivery they will usually be allowed to finish, and arrangements will be made for questions to be asked later.

SafeWork Are Not The Police - No Fines

SafeWork Inspectors are not Police and do not issue fines or take action against breaches of road rules, but they can issue warnings and improvement notices for extremely unsafe behaviour. The focus of this initiative is for SafeWork inspectors to gather information to help make food delivery workers safer.

“Food delivery riders are obliged to cooperate with SafeWork Inspectors, and to answer their questions,” said Bicycle NSW General Manager of Public Affairs, Bastien Wallace.

“Bicycle NSW commends these efforts to improve the safety of bike based workers, and we encourage riders to cooperate fully,” said Bastien.