**2. Occupational safety and health (OSH) issues in the P-hailing sector**

In this study, P-hailing (*parcel hailing*) refers to the sector that provides services for food/drinks and parcels using digital platforms, through their registered freelance motorists [12–14]. Therefore, this research is limited to OSH issues involving the P-hailing deliverers in Malaysia. In fact, it is very difficult to obtain statistical data relating to occupational accidents in this sector. However, motor vehicle accidents involving P-hailing riders are frequently reported by media and attract the attention of society. A recent study [15] found that P-hailing workers endure 30 dangerous situations and five near misses every hour in a typical day of work, thus exacerbating the need for research toward OSH management and compliance within this sector at the earliest. This section provides further explanation of OSH issues in the P-hailing sector, covering road accidents and other occupational hazards that exist in the industry.

#### **2.1 Road accidents**

Road accidents remain a pressing issue in Malaysia, especially affecting those who use motorcycles. This includes the food and parcel deliverers who have to perform their tasks under intense time constraints to fulfill customer demands, which then indirectly lead them to commit risky riding or driving behaviors [16]. Recently, a sharp increase has been observed in the total number of P-hailing deliverers because of the development of e-commerce. Online business has received intense coverage in Malaysia because of breakthroughs in the development of technology, which help to speed up the purchasing process compared to the traditional method employed physically. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has served as a catalyst for the drastic rise in the number of P-hailing deliverers.

Basically, P-hailing deliverers prefer using motorcycles for several reasons. These factors include better mobility, low cost, and the ability to perform faster deliveries, which is crucial for those engaged with digital food and beverage delivery providers such as Foodpanda, GrabFood, Bungkus It, and other platforms [17]. It is also found that the deliverers have to complete numerous delivery tasks within a limited period of time to satisfy the customers [18]. Therefore, the primary issue in the P-hailing sector concerns vehicular accidents due to the nature of P-hailing work requiring the usage of motorcycles that leave riders at a high risk of road accidents while performing their duties. This is proven by a statistic reported by Lee [19], whereby two thirds (more than 1700) of the 2576 fatal motorcycle accident cases throughout the Movement Control Order (MCO) period involved P-hailing delivery riders. Accidents involving deliverers are rooted in dangerous driving and violations of traffic lights, which are committed by deliverers in the name of completing deliveries on time.

Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, the (then) Minister of Transportation, remarked that young P-hailing riders are the group most involved in fatal accidents, with an estimated 12 accidents occurring on a daily basis [20]. The fact that P-hailing riders are considered as essential service workers paints a grim picture of the total number of accidents occurring. In addition, the Ministry of Transportation also reported an increase of up to 200 new P-hailing riders on a daily basis [20] as a result of mass lay-offs and the resulting lack of income for these new riders as a result of the MCO. The Ministry of Human Resources also released a report which revealed that nearly 100,000 employees had been laid off since the previous October [20], which results in pressure within Malaysian society due to the continued enforcement of the MCO. The statistics of accidents in the P-hailing sector are compared with similar statistics from the traditional delivery sector, as showcased in **Figures 1**–**3**.

P-hailing, therefore, provides an opportunity for many people to sustain their livelihood. The fact that most of these riders are the breadwinners of their families adds to the sense of urgency for tackling this issue, according to the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) [20]. A factor contributing to deliverers' reckless behavior on the road is the system used by providers that incentivize timeliness of deliveries. Failure to finish deliveries on time results in customers giving deliverers a low rating, thus affecting their payment. Based on research data obtained from the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), 70% of deliverers show reckless behavior during peak hours such as increasing the motorcycle speed limits to complete the delivery process. The deliverers were also under strict time limits to complete their deliveries, with failure resulting in a demotion of their rating, which directly affects their employment fees. Thus, these factors have contributed to deliverers violating traffic rules in the name of completing their deliveries as soon as possible. This pressure of time involved in just-in-time work has significant implications for road safety [21]. Other studies also stated that during lockdowns, delivery on demand rises making riders tend to speed, and generally, the risk of serious or even fatal crashes increases with higher vehicular speeds [22, 23].

Based on the observations of the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), 70% of P-hailing deliverers exhibit behaviors that leave them at risk of accidents especially during the peak hours of 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., such as parking in yellow squares, riding through red lights, and using phones while riding [19]. Prior work has highlighted that 55.3% of fast-food delivery workers in Malaysia use nonstandard helmets. Besides, a conducted study [24] on work-related factors underlying risky driving behavior of food delivery riders in Athens found that the young food delivery

**Figure 1.** *Statistics of fatal accidents involving deliverers (2015–20).*

*Work-Related Safety and Health Issues among Food and Parcel Delivery Riders DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.110783*

**Figure 2.**

*Statistics of severe injuries sustained by deliverers (2015–20).*

**Figure 3.**

*Statistics of accidents resulting in light injuries for deliverers (2015–20).*

riders are more likely to participate in dangerous riding behaviors that involve critical traffic offenses like "red-light running" and "helmet nonuse," which appear to relate to various stresses or motives for the riders. Therefore, it is crystal clear that the issue involving the road safety of P-hailing deliverers is a significant one. Deliverers are advised not to be too focused on performing their deliveries on time to the extent of exhibiting dangerous behavior on the road.
