New Delhi: The Forum for Progressive Platform Workerss
has called upon the Government of India to integrate basic gig-worker safety
and working-condition checks into existing inspections conducted by the Food
Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). A coordinated enforcement
mechanism can strengthen worker protection without taxing the tax payers money
or clogging the bureaucracy.
FSSAI and
FDA have been visiting places like restaurants, dark stores, fulfilment
centres, warehouses and other establishments and these are the places where Platform
Workers work. The footprint of enforcement provides a practical opportunity for
officials to flag visible worker-safety concerns and refer them to the
appropriate labour authorities.
A
FSSAI–Labour joint inspection protocol under which serious concerns observed
during food-safety inspections could be shared with Labour Departments. These
could include access to drinking water and sanitation, safe entry and exit,
fire and emergency preparedness, first-aid arrangements, lighting and
ventilation, rest areas and other basic occupational-safety conditions.
As per
publicly available data, FSSAI has issued more than 150 notices covering
leading companies and establishments, while regulatory action has also extended
to quick-commerce operations, food-service establishments and other businesses.
Convenor,
Forum for Progressive Platform Workerss, said: “Platform Workerss are an integral part of India’s food, retail and
digital-commerce economy, yet their working conditions can remain invisible
within traditional enforcement frameworks. We are not asking the Government to
create another inspection bureaucracy. We are asking it to make existing
enforcement work smarter. When an FSSAI official is already inspecting a
restaurant, dark store or fulfilment centre, visible concerns around worker
safety should be identified and referred to the Labour Department. One
inspection can serve two public-interest objectives—protecting consumers and
protecting workers.”
The Forum
urges the Government to give particular attention to quick-commerce dark stores
and fulfilment centres, where delivery partners and other Platform Workerss can
spend significant portions of their working day. It proposes a simple referral
mechanism enabling FSSAI officials to flag suspected labour violations to the
relevant Labour Commissioner, Inspector or competent authority for further
investigation.
The Amazon
India Workers Union also welcomed the proposal, emphasising that worker
safety in the food-delivery ecosystem must extend beyond the premises from
which orders originate.
A
spokesperson for the Amazon India Workers Union said:
“Food safety cannot be viewed only as a matter of kitchens, warehouses and
restaurants. Food delivery workers are an essential link in the food-supply
chain and they too need appropriate training in food safety, hygiene and safe
handling practices. Delivery partners should be equipped with the knowledge and
training required to transport food safely, while also being provided safe
working conditions, basic facilities and appropriate protection while
performing their duties. A coordinated approach between food-safety and labour
authorities can help ensure that both consumers and workers are protected.”
The Forum
stressed that its proposal is intended to promote a risk-based,
proportionate and coordinated approach, rather than impose unnecessary
compliance burdens on businesses. It said bringing existing enforcement
mechanisms together could create a “force multiplier” for government while
ensuring that Platform Workerss are not overlooked as India’s digital economy
expands.
The Forum
has urged the Labour Ministry, FSSAI and concerned authorities to consider the
proposed joint-enforcement framework and initiate consultations on its
implementation.