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A Helmet and Two Wheels

The International Labour Organization (ILO) Office for Turkey held a launch event on 10 December 2021 to present its recent “Analysis of Psychosocial Risks for Employees of Delivery Sector Focusing on Motorcycle-Couriers” that investigated the intensive work pace, increasing workload, and risks to occupational safety and health of motorcycle-couriers.

News | 10 December 2021
ANKARA (ILO News)-- The world witnessed how the world of work and labour force evolved through the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the times of lockdown measures, delivery employees became more important. About 45% of motorcycle-couriers started to work in that capacity during the pandemic. An increasing volume of orders and customer expectations of fast delivery led to growing problems and risks of occupational safety and health on the part of motorcycle-couriers. In that context, the ILO Office for Turkey undertook a field study on “Analysis of Psychosocial Risks for Employees of Delivery Sector Focusing on Motorcycle-Couriers” aiming to identify the psychosocial risks specific to the occupation and working conditions of motorcycle-couriers.

Intended to contribute to the development of a culture of occupational safety and health in the delivery sector, and of occupational standards for motorcycle-couriers, the study sheds light on the overall working conditions and arrangements of motorcycle-couriers, psychosocial risks in the context of occupational safety and health, occupational risks associated with migration status and gender, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on motorcycle-couriers.

Major psychosocial risks that affect motorcycle-couriers include increased workload, increased working hours and density, inadequate rest breaks against the work pace.

Of the motorcycle-couriers who responded to the survey, 21.5% worked with no social security, whereas the rate was 68.4% for Syrian male motorcycle-couriers.

21.3% worked without appropriate motorcycle driving license. 26.1% were never asked for any certification before starting to work.

31.3% of Turkish motorcycle-couriers and 65.8% of Syrian ones had no protective equipment.

Of the motorcycle-couriers responding to the survey, 59.3% had work accidents; and of those who suffered accidents, 65.1% had no training on occupational safety and health at work. Most motorcycle-couriers frequently had anxiety of having work accidents.

The study presents the assessments in terms of working conditions, occupational standards, and occupational safety and health standards, and offers four key policy recommendations relating namely to (1) the legislation on occupational safety and health, (2) forming public opinion formation and raising awareness, (3) sustainability and (4) organizing as workers with a view to developing the occupation of motorcycle-courier on the basis of “decent” work.

The research and the event are conducted under the project “Decent Work Opportunities for Refugees and Host Communities in Turkey” funded by the United States Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (USPRM).