Health and Safety Risks for Gig Workers

FREE

Getting Ready for Work

Majority of the time, your delivery will go off without any interruption.

However, it is important to be prepared for any situations or problems that may arise during your shift. This allows you to avoid panic and make incorrect judgments.

You will have to handle unusual problems alone due to the independent nature of your job and the rapidly changing external conditions.

This lesson has been designed to guide you to avoid these exceptional situations with your own efforts.

Before reporting to work, make sure that you bring an alert mind.

Depending on your work shift, finding the sleeping rhythm that works for you to obtain adequate and uninterrupted sleep is the key.

Getting adequate sleep helps in maintaining attentiveness at work.

It would also be helpful if you had a balanced meal before going to work. Keep yourself hydrated during the delivery process as well.

When should your delivery tools and equipment be inspected? Select all that apply

Avoiding Hazards on the Road

When you are in a rush to get deliveries done in a day, you tend to forget your own safety.

With a simple peek at your phone or a tweak in the vehicle speed, you are putting your life at risk.

Even the littlest of things that you do, or you failed to do, may increase your chances of encountering accidents on the road.

Disclaimer

Let's have a recall! What can you do to ensure road safety in your day-to-day job? Stay attentive by getting adequate sleep. Maintain full focus on the road and avoid distractions. Look out for road signs, especially those with warnings about road conditions. Follow the speed limit even if it means delaying your delivery. Maintain your vehicle and keep it in good driving condition. Whatever mode of transport you use for deliveries, always follow the traffic regulations.

Reducing the Impacts of Physical Hazards

Even when you are obedient enough to follow the rules of the road, there are still other types of hazards you might encounter in your line of work.

Another form of hazard to watch out for are physical hazards, which include substances or activities that endanger your physical safety.

What's unique about physical hazards is that their characteristics are different from other health risks.

Physical hazards pose risks that are not that obvious.

Ultraviolet Radiation While being a good source of vitamin D, sunlight may also pose health risks to an individual. 99% of skin cancers are caused by Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR) that one can get from too much exposure to the sun. Since your job demands you to work outdoors, it puts you at risk of having higher than average risk of developing common health risks caused by UVR. What are the risks associated with UVR? Proceed to the next slide to find out!

Let's have a recall! What clothing feature is best to use against UVR exposure? Select all that apply

Vibrations can produce engine noise which harms your auditory senses. You may not notice it, but the prolonged engine noise might put you at risk in the long run. The effect may vary from severe headache (early effect) or hearing loss (delayed effect).

Vibrations can also affect your body as a whole. Whole-body vibrations can weaken the chest, abdominal organs, and the musculoskeletal system, as well as contribute to fatigue and reduced attentiveness.

Let's have a recall! Which of the following might potentially harm you at work? Select all that apply

**Working Safely with Chemicals **

Chemical exposure in the workplace is unavoidable but the risks and hazards can be managed.

Disclaimer

In your line of work, you may be exposed to hazardous chemicals used for cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting the tools and equipment used for work. In other instances, you may be handling chemicals because your clients have requested these dangerous products to be shipped. Improper handling of these hazardous materials may cause immediate or persistent, long-term health concerns. To identify the potential risks of hazardous material, you may refer to their Safety Data Sheet (SDS). The SDS contains important safety information. Always read the SDS before using any new chemical or process, as hazards may vary by brand.

Always read the SDS! The SDS is split into 16 sections. The first eight sections contain general information and the last eight sections contain more technical and scientific information.

Identification This section contains product name and contact details of the manufacturer and importer as well as an emergency poisons hotline.

Hazard Identification The amount information provided here varies depending on how hazardous the chemical is, the higher the hazard the more information you'll see here. Follow all the precautionary statements listed. You may also see pictograms, we'll dive more into what these all mean later on in the lesson

Composition and information on the ingredients

First Aid Measures Description of necessary first aid measures Symptoms caused by exposure

Fire Fighting Measures Information on the right fire extinguishing equipment to use in response to a chemical fire.

Accidental Release Measures what to do when there's been a spill, leak or releases

Storage and Handling The best practices in storing and handling the chemical.

Exposure Controls/ Personal Protection Recommended exposure limits and the PPE that you should wear to limit exposure.

Chemicals should be properly stored in the right conditions to minimize hazards As a general rule of thumb: Ensure all hazardous chemicals are properly labeled Store chemicals according to it's hazard class Separate all incompatible chemicals Chemicals must be stored no higher than eye level If you're ever unsure, you should consult Section 7 of the SDS, as it covers the Handling & Storage information.

These chemicals are stored in a delivery vehicle. What's wrong with the way these chemicals are stored? What should you do before transporting them? Submit your response on the next slides...

Managing Ergonomic Factors

The photo on the title page shows an incorrect way of lifting, and it might cause a back injury while at work.

Find out what's wrong with the way this guy is lifting.

You are your best investment! Remember to take care of your personal health. Here are final reminders to help you: Stay in good physical condition: exercise regularly. It helps to stretch before lifting! Stretching warms up your body, making your muscles flexible and less prone to tears and strains. Always maintain good posture When transporting a load, never twist your body. If the object is heavy, twisting might dislocated your spine. Instead, use your feet to face the direction of where the object should go. Do not consume excessive quantities of stimulants such as coffee or other caffeine-containing products. Do not rub your eyes if you feel tired, because this may cause infection and conjunctivitis. Attend medical health checks organised by the employer. Consult your doctor about the effects on driving before taking any medicines. Do not drink any alcoholic beverage during working hours. It takes conscious effort to get better at lifting safely. With constant practice, safe lifting will become your second nature.

Getting Ready for Work

Majority of the time, your delivery will go off without any interruption.

However, it is important to be prepared for any situations or problems that may arise during your shift. This allows you to avoid panic and make incorrect judgments.

You will have to handle unusual problems alone due to the independent nature of your job and the rapidly changing external conditions.

This lesson has been designed to guide you to avoid these exceptional situations with your own efforts.

Supporting your Mental Health

We know that life is not always rainbows and sunshine. Sometimes, we go through circumstances that may be work-related, relationships, or our health.

Enjoying the state of being mentally healthy can help you: maximize your potentials cope with stressful events and situations be present and involved with your relationships, workplace, and community These are just a few of the many benefits of being mentally healthy. The state of our mental health is not always the same, it can change depending on the circumstances we face and as we grow and move forward with our lives.

A study on gig economy workers was made by Harvard University. They found out that the workers experience personal, social, and economic anxieties without coverage or support from any employer.

Not to mention the stress and tension from having unpredictable schedules and income.

Recommended Self-care practices: Talk about your feelings Keep active Eat well Drink sensibly Keep in touch Ask for help Take a break Do something you're good at Accept who you are Care for others

General Safe Work Practices

Being a gig worker, your typical day at work would be working outside the physical premises of the company that hires you.

Having this setup does not mean that we are not responsible for your safety.

Occupational safety is a topic that everyone in the workplace is concerned about. Any incident that puts your safety in danger should be reported to us!

Reporting hazards in the workplace allows us to assess the potential risks and control them. This makes a safer work experience not just for you, but for other delivery workers as well.

**Objectives ** This lesson is designed to increase your safety awareness. At the end of this lesson, you should be able to: recognize threatening and dangerous situations at work, address problems at work, and know how to react to emergencies. Are you ready to learn about these safe work practices? Hit that button below to get started!

Disclaimer

Failure to notify us of any situations that threaten your safety enables unaddressed hazards to continue to occur. Remember that you can always contact us for help or for more information regarding workplace safety. At the same time, you can also help us to address these accidents and reduce risks in the workplace by sending in safety observations, reporting close calls, and calling for help in case of emergencies.

What are our obligations? You might be alone as you do your work, but you are not alone in other aspects of your work. As part of working with us, rest assured that we are knowledgeable on the risk factors you may experience during work, accident-prevention techniques, and the work itself. It is our obligation to familiarize you with the risks in the workplace and advise you on how to respond in any unusual circumstances. Do not hesitate to ask for guidance when needed.