Food delivery riders will be safer with new laws coming into effect today that ensure riders must be supplied with high-visibility personal protective equipment by food delivery platforms.
Minister for Fair Trading Eleni Petinos said the NSW Government had been working with industry and riders on the changes, which will provide greater safety and protection for workers in the booming industry.
"From today, food delivery booking providers must supply their delivery riders with high-visibility personal protective equipment, including a retroreflective outer clothing item and a bag or container for safely transporting food or drink that comply with the relevant Australian Standard," Ms Petinos said.
"These reforms are ultimately about keeping riders, who are among some of our most at risk road users, safer on our roads."
"While there has been a decline in rider incidents in the past 12 months, there is still a need for stronger sanctions to prevent incidents from occurring," Ms Petinos said.
"Our work in this area is making a difference and we will not be taking our foot off the pedal anytime soon. In March 2021, 21 delivery rider incidents were reported, dropping to 11 incidents in March 2022 despite traffic on our roads increasing with COVID-19 restrictions easing."
"We now have the strongest safety environment for food delivery platforms and riders anywhere in the world and will continue to work with industry to ensure a culture where safety comes first."
SafeWork NSW will apply an educational approach to compliance until 1 November 2022 in relation to bags and containers that focusses on ensuring businesses and workers are aware of the new requirement.
On-the-spot penalties of $3,600 will apply to platforms who cannot demonstrate that they have met the requirements for each rider delivering for their Platform.
SafeWork NSW have also produced a Food Delivery Riders – Keeping You Safe Fact Sheet (PDF, 142.29 KB) and 'Risks on the Delivery Road Fact Sheet' in English (PDF, 156.32 KB), Arabic (PDF, 512.6 KB), Chinese (PDF, 441.26 KB), Punjabi (PDF, 597.04 KB) and Spanish (PDF, 516.71 KB), to help communicate what the platform, food outlets and riders must do to keep safe.
