More reliance, more injuries: Income dependence, workload and work injury of online food-delivery platform riders

Abstract

Food-delivery platform riders constitute a vulnerable population that is particularly susceptible to safety incidents and injuries. At present, only a few studies have specifically addressed the causes of work injuries of riders in the gig economy. Accordingly, this study examined the linkages between income dependence and riders’ injury. A mixed method approach was utilised to analyse survey data from 5,703 riders of an online food-delivery platform in China, along with semi-structured interviews with 43 riders. The results provide empirical evidence that: (a) a rider’s degree of income dependence is positively related to work injury, (b) workload mediates the relationship between income dependence and work injury, and (c) difficulty in obtaining subsidies moderates the relationship between income dependence and workload. These results can help platform companies take steps to reduce hazards to worker safety and suggest recommendations for policies on platform working conditions and rider safety protection.