Gig Workers’ Group Calls for Mandatory Heatwave Safeguards

A representative body of gig and platform workers has urged the government to introduce compulsory protections to shield workers from the intensifying impact of heatwaves, according to a report. The organisation highlighted that delivery personnel, ride-hailing drivers and home-service providers continue to work in extreme temperatures without adequate safety measures, exposing them to serious health risks.

The group, identified as the Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT), stressed that the absence of enforceable guidelines leaves millions of workers vulnerable during periods of extreme heat. It noted that gig workers, who are largely dependent on daily earnings, often have little choice but to remain on the job despite hazardous weather conditions.

The federation has called for a set of mandated safeguards, including access to drinking water, shaded rest areas and paid cooling breaks during peak heat hours. It also recommended that platforms refrain from penalising workers who reduce or pause their activity during extreme weather alerts. These measures, the group argued, are essential to prevent heat-related illnesses and ensure safer working conditions.

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The demand comes as India faces increasingly frequent and severe heatwaves, which disproportionately affect outdoor and informal workers. Gig workers, in particular, spend long hours on the road, making them more susceptible to dehydration, heat exhaustion and other related health complications. The federation emphasised that without formal recognition of these risks in labour protections, workers remain exposed to avoidable dangers.

The report further noted that while some states and agencies have issued advisories or guidelines for heatwave safety, these are often not legally binding and lack uniform enforcement. As a result, compliance varies widely, leaving many workers without consistent protection.

IFAT has therefore urged the government to establish nationwide, enforceable standards that would require gig platforms to implement heat-safety protocols. The body argued that such measures are necessary not only to safeguard worker health but also to ensure sustainable working conditions in India’s rapidly expanding gig economy.