Nationwide Survey on Platform Work

Nationwide Survey on Platform Workers in India

Survey Overview:

• Conducted by the NGO Janpahal, focusing on the occupational safety and health of platform-based gig workers.
• Sample Size: 1,000 platform workers across 10 Indian cities.

Key Findings:

• Employment Trends:

  • 57% of workers reported working more than 49 hours per week.
  • 23% reported working over 70 hours weekly.
  • 72.3% have remained on platforms for over one year.
    • 38.4% for more than two years.
    • 18.4% for over five years.

• Unsafe Working Conditions:

  • 74.6% lack access to rest areas.
  • 53.8% have to purchase drinking water with personal funds.
  • 66.2% rarely or never take breaks.
  • 43.9% rely on paid public toilets; 15% have no toilet access; 11.3% use customer or restaurant facilities.

• Road Safety and Health Issues:

  • 62.2% experienced near-miss road accidents; 27% reported traffic accidents while working.
  • 38% suffered injuries from poor road conditions.
  • 34.1% experienced harassment, abuse, or violence during work.

• Health Complications:

  • 64.5% reported fatigue and sleep disruption.
  • 47.4% suffered musculoskeletal pain.
  • 41.1% experienced stress and anxiety.
  • 30% reported eye strain.
  • 26.5% suffered respiratory problems from prolonged outdoor work and pollution.
  • 68.4% received no health-related support from their platforms.

Recommendations by Janpahal:

• Legal Recognition:

  • Demand for legal status as workers with enforceable rights.

• Safety Standards:

  • Implementation of occupational safety and health standards for platform workers.

• Basic Facilities:

  • Provision of toilets, drinking water, rest areas, and shaded spaces.

• Health Policies:

  • Development of climate-responsive workplace policies.

• Worker Representation:

  • Creation of statutory mechanisms to amplify workers’ voices.

• Accountability:

  • Increasing accountability of digital labor platforms for the safety and well-being of workers.

Conclusion: The report sheds light on the critical need for reforms to enhance the working conditions of platform workers in India. It emphasizes the urgency of legal recognition and improved occupational safety measures in a rapidly growing platform economy.