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. 2025 May 10;20(1):13.
doi: 10.1186/s12995-025-00460-x.

Assessment of occupational hazards, health effects, and personal protective equipment usage among motorcycle food delivery riders in Thailand: a cross-sectional survey

Siriaran Kwangsukstith  1 , Vithawat Surawattanasakul  2   3 , Chollada Mahakkanukrauh  1 , Jinjuta Panumasvivat  4   5 , Wachiranun Sirikul  4   5
Affiliations

Assessment of occupational hazards, health effects, and personal protective equipment usage among motorcycle food delivery riders in Thailand: a cross-sectional survey

Siriaran Kwangsukstith et al. J Occup Med Toxicol. .

Abstract

Background: Motorcycle Food Delivery Riders (MFDRs) play a vital role in the online food delivery industry, yet their prolonged time on the road exposes them to numerous occupational hazards, health risks, making them more vulnerable than both regular motorcyclists and the general population. The study aimed to investigate the working conditions, occupational hazards, health issues, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and the association between occupational hazards and health effects among Thai MFDRs.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2021 to mid-February 2022 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, using an anonymous self-reported survey. A total of 709 MFDRs participated in the survey. Data were collected on background information, job characteristics, occupational hazards, health issues, and the use of PPE over the previous six months. The data were analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression model.

Results: Most MFDRs are frequently exposed to physical hazards, including heat and sunlight (91.6%), as well as chemical hazards such as exhaust smoke (90.1%) and particulate matter (PM) (86.1%). Most MFDRs reported suffering from musculoskeletal disorders (62.1%) and eyes-related problems (45.1%). The most common problems were shoulder pain (39.2%), neck pain (38.1%), and burning eyes (33.3%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicates that biomechanical hazards are significantly associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) (p < 0.05), while psychological hazards significantly associated with headaches, insomnia, and feeling depressed (p < 0.05). Additionally, physical hazards such as sunlight and heat, noise, and whole-body vibrations, are also significantly associated with headaches, flu-like symptoms, and insomnia (p < 0.05). The most worn PPE by the participants were helmets (99.72%), long-leg pants (99.72%), masks (99.29%), and thermal jackets (98.17%).

Conclusions: The high prevalence of occupational hazards and health issues among MFDRs is worrisome. It is critical for platform companies and health sectors to introduce effective protective measures for workers, including establishing health surveillance, and supplying PPE.

Keywords: Health effects; Motorcycle food delivery riders; Occupational hazards; Personal protective equipment.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was conducted following the Declaration of Helsinki guidelines and the protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Thailand (Study Code: 8577/2564, Date of approval: 15 September 2021). Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Prevalence of occupational hazards faced by the study participants
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Prevalence of health effects among MFDRs
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Prevalence of personal protective equipment (PPE) used among MFDRs
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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