He0Alth, Safety and Environment Ola/Uber/Cab Drivers: Submitted by

HE0ALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT
OLA/UBER/CAB DRIVERS
Submitted to:
PROF. DEEPIKA SALUJA
Submitted by:
ROHAN NANDI
SHIVANI KARKERA
VEDANT DHAKATE
VIREN JOSHI
SOHAM CHAUHAN
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................3
2. OSH ASPECTS OF OLA/UBER/CAB DRIVERS.............................................................................3
3. METHODOLOGY..............................................................................................................................4
4. FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS............................................................................................................5
4.1 EXPOSURE TO VIBRATIONS..........................................................................................................5
4.1.1 RECOMMENDATION................................................................................................................5
4.2 EXPOSURE TO NOISE POLLUTION................................................................................................5
4.2.1 RECOMMENDATION................................................................................................................6
4.3 EXPOSURE TO PAINFUL POSITIONS..............................................................................................6
4.3.1 RECOMMENDATION................................................................................................................6
4.4 EXPOSURE TO EXTREME TEMPERATURE.....................................................................................6
4.4.1 RECOMMNENDATION..............................................................................................................7
4.5 EXPOSURE TO SMOKE & DUST.....................................................................................................7
4.5.1 RECOMMENDATION................................................................................................................8
4.6 EXPOSURE TO VIOLENCE AT WORK.............................................................................................8
4.6.1 RECOMMENDATION................................................................................................................9
4.7 EXPOSURE TO EXCESSIVE WORKING HOURS...............................................................................9
4.7.1 RECOMMENDATION..............................................................................................................10
4.8 EXPOSURE TO UNHYGIENIC WORKING CONDITIONS.................................................................10
4.8.1 RECOMMENDATION..............................................................................................................11
4.9 EXPOSURE TO ACCIDENTS.........................................................................................................11
4.9.1 RECOMMENDATION..............................................................................................................11
5. CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................................11
6. REFERENCES..................................................................................................................................12
7. ANNEXURE.....................................................................................................................................13
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1. INTRODUCTION
A number of Occupational safety and Health(OSH) risks such as vibration, stressful positions,
smoke or powder or dust, noise, high and low temperature are relevant to Ola/Uber drivers. It is
important to consider that many of these physical risks appear together, and in combination with
work organizational risks, such as long and non-standard. There are many precautions Uber/Ola
drivers must take to ensure safety while driving. From making sure your seatbelt is on to getting
your car serviced on a regular basis, there are precautionary things everyone does to stay safe.
The concept of violence at work is extensive and complex, which is why it has numerous defi
nitions. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines workplace violence as: ‘The intentional
use of power, threatened or actual, against another person or against a group, in work related
circumstances, that either results in or has a high degree of likelihood of resulting in injury,
death, psychological harm, bad development, or deprivation’. Passengers expect some safety,
and drivers also expect the same. News reports of Uber and Ola drivers assaulted by passengers
and vice versa are enough to scare some out of rideshare altogether.
Tight schedules, unexpected demands, and unfamiliarity with routes and locations puts drivers at
high risk when they drive. Implementing measures that reduce their driving risks will help keep
drivers safer. And, it will help prevent costly crashes. Having strong road safety policies and
practices is also part of your legal responsibilities as an employer. Whether your drivers drive a
company vehicle or their own, employers are responsible for the safety of their employees when
they drive for work. That’s because a car is a workplace, the same way a construction site, a
factory floor or a warehouse are workplaces. As such, you need to know your legal
obligations to your employees who drive. This includes ensuring they are qualified for the
driving you assign and that the cars they drive are roadworthy and equipped properly for the
conditions they will face. Some employers might not realize this, but they have a
responsibility to verify employees have the necessary driving competencies before they
assign them driving for work. Vehicle congestion, demanding customers, tough trip targets...
The hundreds of cab drivers employed with app-based aggregators and other private operators
in the city have an endless list of woes. Somewhere in their long list of complaints lies buried
the lack of public restrooms.
2. OSH ASPECTS OF OLA/UBER/CAB DRIVERS
Following Conventions are related to OSH aspects of Ola/Uber/Cab Drivers
 C153 - Hours of Work and Rest Periods (Road Transport) Convention, 1979.
 C155 - Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981
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 C187 - Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006
 Health and Safety at Work Act 1974: Section 2 of the HSW Act deals with employers'
duties, and states: "It shall be the duty of all employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably
practicable, the health safety and welfare of all their employees whilst they are
at work."
 The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
 Employers and workers are aware of the performance and potential confounding factors
associated with filtration and of their duties under the Control of Substances Hazardous
to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 (as amended).
 Motor Transport Workers Act 1961
3. METHODOLOGY
1) Through Ola/Uber app, we found that there are many drivers near Adani Corporate House.
Therefore we selected that area.
2) In our survey conducted near Adani Corporate House, we interviewed 5 Ola/Uber/Cab
Drivers.
3) The average length of an interview was around 12-13 mins.
4) Following are some of the questions that were asked to each drivers:
 Apart from the earning, what are the other benefits or rewards for Uber/Ola partners that
the company provides you?
 If you were to leave Uber what would be the reason and most stressful part?
 What are the health risks do you face by driving all day?
 What do you do in case of vehicle breakdown? Do the Ola/Uber company revert back in
case of such situation?
 Can you share any real life incident regarding problems because of passengers?
5) The questionnaire was prepared keeping in mind the various safety and health risks that all
the Ola/Uber/Cab Drivers have to face.
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4. FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS
4.1 EXPOSURE TO VIBRATIONS
One of the drivers whom we interviewed said that he has back problem for last 8 years. He
also said that he had too much workload, few breaks during working hours and long shifts.
We wanted to find out the root cause for this problem and came up with following
hypothesis. Drivers are more exposed to vibrations (i.e. vibration of cabin). This type of
vibration is within the frequency range of 1–80 Hz. Full body vibration, for example caused by
the driver’s cabin, may also affect the vision, coordination and the overall functional ability of
the drivers and contribute to increased accident risk. It is considered as one of the hazardous
physical factors in workplace and leads to many harmful effects on the body. The harmful health
effects will appear when a person is in contact with a vibrating surface. The roughness of road
driving surface causes vertical vibration in vehicles, which is transmitted to the body of driver
and passengers. The most common side effects are back pain, digestive disorders, damage to
auditory system, and impaired concentration. The significance of the seat is important when
steps to reduce full-body vibrations are taken.
4.1.1 RECOMMENDATION
The amount of whole-body vibration is sensitive to speed changes so that cab drivers who are
usually driving at low speeds will be exposed to a lower average value of whole-body vibration.
Due to the evident effect of speed on whole-body vibration, it is strongly recommended to be
given full consideration to this factor (speed) in preparing vibration control plans for vehicles.
4.2 EXPOSURE TO NOISE POLLUTION
One of the drivers whom we interviewed said that the noise levels in the car while driving
for long hours gives him headache. Analyzing the root cause of this problem was must and
we came up with following hypothesis.
While you sit there in traffic, sun beating down on top of your windshield, the noise of
construction equipment and stereos that are way too loud start to take their toll on you. Regular
and elevated noise exposure for a long term can bring about various adverse health effects, such
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as hearing impairment, hypertension, heart disease and sleep disturbance. However little
attention has been paid to in-vehicle noise. In-vehicle noise is higher than the maximum safe
level of 70 dB(A) for 24 h exposure without harmful effects. Though the excessive noise may
not induce acute adverse health consequences, millions of drivers are chronically exposed to the
hazardous noise during daily commuting. Studies have investigated the in-vehicle noise exposure
and its adverse health consequences to the drivers. This motivates the objective, which is to
assess the risk of hazardous noise exposure on highways for drivers.
Twelve subjects were hired for an on-road driving test on State Highway 288 in Houston to
collect real-time in-vehicle noise levels and vehicle activity. At the driving speed of 70 kph
above, the level of noise exceeds the public health and welfare marginal safe level of 8 h 75
dB(A).
The thing to understand when soundproofing your car is that there is no way to cancel out all
outside noise. Noise from the road will still escape into your car as you drive, especially in older
vehicles. What we can expect however, is a drastic decrease in the amount of noise that you hear
compared to before. These methods help to cancel out up to 50% of the noise that you hear from
the road, and makes noise almost non-existent to newer, better insulated vehicles.
Soundproof mats work best when applied to the bottom of the car's floor mats, in particular
those in the front seats. This is due to most of the outside noise coming from the area of the front
of the car, with the engine being closer to the front. Adding soundproof mats to the bottom of the
floor mats in the back seat is preferable too, as this helps to further reduce noise from the road
and the muffler.
Soundproof the doors of the car with foam insulation helps eliminate noise levels to a great
extent.
4.3 EXPOSURE TO PAINFUL POSITIONS
There are two reasons why driving impacts your back poor posture and being in a fixed,
position for long time. Being stuck in a static position for a long time while driving can result
in back trouble. The majority of people will face lower back pain at some stage in their life, but
those who have to drive for more than 4 hours a day on a regular basis are more at risk.
Ergonomic design of the driver’s seat and a better location and development of controls and
displays inside the car are therefore important for the prevention of the development of back
pain.
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4.4 EXPOSURE TO EXTREME TEMPERATURE
Extreme heat at summer threatens the health of individuals, especially persons with pre-existing
illnesses, and those who are involved in outdoor activities. Dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat
cramps and heat stroke are commonly observed heat-related health problems.
Cab drivers are more likely to be affected by uncomfortable heat, as they spend most of time
sitting in the narrow cab and driving on route. They work under great psychological pressure.
Cab driving is mentally demanding because it involves keeping to a tight schedule in dense
traffic, driving safely according to traffic regulations and conditions, and providing service to
passengers.
4.4.1 RECOMMNENDATION
Install a water dispenser in the vehicle and drink cold water during extreme heat. Following
simple steps will reduce the effect of excessive heat to some extent.
Install a 5 litre plastic tank in the rear side of the vehicle and connect it to a tap under the fare
meter in case of an auto rickshaw. The tank can be covered with wet gunny bags to keep the
water cool. Ice cubes can also be added to the water.
4.5 EXPOSURE TO SMOKE & DUST
One of the drivers whom we interviewed said that he has to encounter excessive amount of
dust while driving for long hours. Analyzing the root cause of this problem was must and
we came up with following hypothesis.
Cab drivers are exposed to smoke, fumes, and vapors. Cab drivers are exposed to exhaust fumes
at terminals, stops, when having to stop behind another vehicle, when loading and unloading
passengers and when performing maintenance work. The combined inhalation of vapors and
fumes with smoke increases the risk for respiratory problems to cab drivers.
Table No 1: Summary of Hazardous Substances
Circumstance
Substance Source Occupation
s
Solvents,
Fuels Maintenance Cab drivers
VOCs
Diesel Exhaust Refueling
Cab drivers
fumes from Parking of
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vehicles
Diesel combustion
exhaust engine Passenger
Road dust Ambient Loading and Cab drivers
Unloading
Disinfectant Cleaning Cleaning
Cab drivers
s products vehicles
Short-term exposure to diesel fumes, such as at the time of fueling can temporarily irritate your
eyes, skin or respiratory tract and/or cause dizziness, headache or nausea. However, longer-term
exposure may lead to more serious health concerns, such as lung cancer, kidney damage, and
increased risk of heart attack.
Diesel exhaust has more negative health effects than regular diesel fumes. Short-term exposure
can irritate your eyes, nose, throat and lungs; it can cause coughs, bronchitis, headaches,
lightheadedness and nausea.
Long-distance travelling and hauling may also involve exposures to unusual infectious
organisms.
Idling generates diesel exhaust fumes. While idling your car in an enclosed area keep the idling
time as short as possible.
Cabs can be fitted with high efficiency filters to improve their exposure reduction capacity and
driver protection.
4.6 EXPOSURE TO VIOLENCE AT WORK
One of the drivers whom we interviewed said he had to face violent behavior of the
passenger. He had reported the event to the company but no action was taken by the
company.
Because taxi drivers usually work 12-hour shifts, night driving is inevitable, and they
are at even higher risk then. Violence is a common experience for taxi drivers, although most
incidents are verbal attacks. Many incidents go unreported: taxi drivers are ‘popular’ targets
because they work alone, are unprotected, accept passengers whose attitudes to violence are
unknown and they carry cash. Assaulting a cabdriver carries little risk to the person committing
the assault. First, there is a very good chance it will not be reported to the police, and if it is
reported, there is very little chance of the perpetrator getting caught and if he is caught he may
dispute the allegation.
 Many non-fatal incidents, especially threats, simply go unreported because there is no
coordinated data-collection system to process this information or because the workers
involved, such as taxi drivers, cannot afford to lose the time to report the incident.
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 Many cab drivers are encouraged to defuse customer hostility, with “the customer is
always right’ approach, meaning that verbal abuse may have to be absorbed.
 Because some drivers may work under unusual contractual it may be difficult to collect
data on incidents.
 To prevent outbreaks of fear, violence reports may be withheld by some companies.
This states that the level of under reporting may suggest that drivers feel isolated and left on their
own to deal with the dangerous nature of their own workplace.
Following are the approaches to prevent workplace violence and stress:
 Bullet-resistant glass between drivers and passengers will prevent robberies, injuries and
death.
 Security cameras record activities within the vehicle, discouraging violent behavior, and
help in identifying passengers, if an assault does occur.
 Silent alarms and/or radio communication allow drivers to safely request help.
 Vehicle tracking devices, such as global positioning satellite (GPS) systems, allow
drivers in distress to be located.
 Improved lighting inside the cab allows the driver to be aware of passenger behavior
 Pay Attention to Passenger Ratings
 One way you can make sure passengers are held accountable for their actions is by
installing a dashcam in your car. A dash cam can also protect you against things inside of
the vehicle.
4.7 EXPOSURE TO EXCESSIVE WORKING HOURS
The recent spate of strikes by drivers of app-based cab aggregator platforms, specifically Ola and
Uber, has unveiled some facets of the ugly underbelly of the burgeoning market for these
platforms. Since, most of us indulge happily in the low cost and convenient booking which such
platforms offer, we as consumers do not often think about some of the adverse implications of
these models. Recalling the early heady days of Ola and Uber where drivers were earning large
amounts from the rich and venture capital-funded platforms, there was a crowd rush in the
number of drivers who joined these companies as ‘potential partners’. In some urban areas - tier I
and tier II cities, there is now a situation where there are far more existing cars and then, the new
cars are bought to join the cab fleet which have increased the traffic volume to much greater
extent causing traffic jams in limited traffic infrastructure.
Ola/Uber drivers are given certain targets and packages, which always change and are
communicated on a daily basis. The decrease in shrinkage of incentives and earnings, drivers of
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these taxis keep increasing work hours. Thus, it becomes essential for them to be able to earn
enough to pay off the costs of running the cab service — the car loan EMI, fuel costs, vehicle
maintenance costs, permit fees, platform commissions, etc. Any balance left from the earning is
what the drivers can retain for personal purposes, and to contribute to family expenses.
Cab drivers work for long working hours, from early morning till late night. They become being
exhausted after frequently working seven days a week. This is worrisome on two counts: their
own health, and implications for the safety of all taxi occupants. India already has a massive road
accident overload with upward increment of 200,000 road fatalities annually. Traffic rules are
openly being broken, drivers on Indian roads need to be alert all the time. App-based cab drivers
also need to accept incoming bookings, follow app instructions and directions as well as
coordinate with passengers for their pick-up and drop. Quite clearly, this can be mentally and
physically taxing, and is only tenable for a limited number of hours every day. Exhaustion and
restlessness leads to a drop in concentration which, even if momentary while driving, can lead to
accidents. Further, to try to stay alert for long hours, drivers may turn to stimulants, making them
prone to addiction. Drivers take drugs such as methamphetamine to cope with long working
hours. The stress and pressure to earn a minimum amount on a daily basis can also lead to mental
health problems such as depression.
As concerned citizens, and as passengers or road users who are themselves at risk of accidents
caused due to errors by exhausted cab drivers, we must push for ensuring that working hours for
app-based aggregator cab drivers are capped, and driver work conditions and payment terms
optimised and made favourable enough to enable this. Furthermore, the drivers should receive
mandatory health insurance benefits, and regular medical check-ups.
Programs such as Ola and Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-
PMJAY) should be encouraged. Ola and Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya
Yojana (AB-PMJAY) have entered into a partnership to provide comprehensive health
insurance to 20 lakh driver-partners of the ride-hailing company. The partnership will
benefit hundreds of thousands of eligible driver-partners. They will be able to access in-patient
care for serious illnesses at a country-wide network of 18,073 government and private hospitals
empanelled under PM-JAY. YSR Auto, Taxi Cab Drivers Scheme in which the state
government will offer ten thousand rupees to the every auto and taxi per year should be
implemented. The scheme is focused on the people associated in driving commercial vehicles
like taxi and auto. It is believed that, due to the scheme at least four lakh people will be
benefitted.
4.8 EXPOSURE TO UNHYGIENIC WORKING CONDITIONS
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Cab drivers work for 14-16 hours daily to complete rides and make the maximum amount of
money. Forced to relieve themselves on the roadside or use unclean public toilets, the drivers say
lack of enough washrooms poses a big challenge to them every hour. Many of them even spend
the night in their vehicle and make do with a quick wash before starting work the next morning.
“Most drivers work round the clock and find it difficult to find a place to defecate. Most of
them urinate on the roadside, which is unhygienic. Cab owners should find a solution to
this.” said by one of the cab drivers in the interview.
Drivers say difficulty in finding public restrooms while they are in the middle of a ride remains a
source of tension for them. “We generally don’t know the destination until we enter the One-
time Password of the customer. It is difficult to find the nearest toilet in any area, and we
seldom have enough time to reach the pickup spot. This is why we are forced to relieve
ourselves on the roadside” said by one of the cab drivers in the interview.
Another driver pointed out that the ill-maintained toilets also pose a health risk to them. “Most of
them are dirty and have no water facility. We can’t go back home just to use the toilet,” he said,
adding that drivers should demand clean public toilets as well as bath shelters.
A recent crowd funding campaign launched by Ola to address the issue may come as welcome
news for them. The firm is asking its customers to contribute Rs 1 over the next six months, and
has partnered with the non-profit organization, Gramalaya, to use the collected amount to build
toilets for the underprivileged.
4.9 EXPOSURE TO ACCIDENTS
Company drivers & cab drivers are at higher risk of accidents relative to the general population,
even when demographic and exposure variables are considered. There have been varying
explanations for this increased risk. Passengers asking the cab drivers to drive fast is one of the
reasons. Cab drivers indulged in rash driving, consuming alcohol while driving are some reasons.
Cab company should implement following measures to reduce road incidents

● Individual driver training
● Group discussions
● Campaigns
● Bonus schemes.
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5. CONCLUSION
Employers are responsible for taking measures to protect the health and safety of their workers.
In addition, it is the duty of cab drivers to follow proper safety procedures. Occupational Safety
and Health Act 1970 has recommended these safety controls to help reduce work-related
violence. Employers should provide their workers a place of employment free from recognized
hazards to safety and health, such as exposure to toxic chemicals, excessive noise levels,
mechanical dangers, heat or cold stress, or unsanitary conditions. From the interactions and
interviews conducted at the locality near Adani Corporate House, we found out that
Ola/Uber/Cab drivers faced a lot of issues which are unknown to us and also to the outside
world. We tend to think in a certain way that they don’t suffer the way we do but that’s not true.
Hypertension, body pain, mental stress, physical strain are the most common problems existing
in their community. As far as the company is concerned, it doesn’t support their employees (in
this case, cab drivers) in many aspects which normally the company should do. Thus,
International Labour Organization (ILO) provides measures and recommendations that the
companies should follow for the benefits and rights of the cab drivers which will lead to
increased productivity and progress of the organization.
6. REFERENCES
1) International Labour Organization - https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?

p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO::P12100_ILO_CODE:C153
2) Evaluation of impact on Whole Body Vibrations -

https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR1000/RR1057/RAND_RR
1057.pdf
3) Munzel (2018) - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5898791/
4) Li (2017) - https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/risk-assessment-of-invehicle-noise-
pollution-from-highways.php?aid=84738
5) Sooyoung Kwon, Heejung Kim, Gwang Suk Kim and Eunhee Cho, (2019). Fatigue and poor
sleep are associated with driving risk among Korean occupational drivers, Journal of
Transport & Health.
6) Elzinga, A. (1996). Security of taxi drivers in the Netherlands: Fear of crime, actual
victimization and recommended security measures. Security Journal, 7(3), 205–210.
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7) Gubéran E, Usel M, Bolay J, Puissant J, Raymond L (1991) Increased risk for lung cancer
and for cancer of the gastrointestinal tract among Geneva professional drivers.
7. ANNEXURE
Driver 1
Name - Kamlesh Patel.
Age - 26 years.
Driving Experience - 4 years (3 years in ola).
Q.1) Apart from the earning, what are the other benefits or rewards for Uber/Ola partners that the
company provides you?
A- Apart from earning, bonuses are awarded to us which is less. Earlier, it was Rs. 7-8/km but
now, it reduced to Rs. 4-4.5/km. No other benefits are awarded to us.
Q.2) If you were to leave Uber what would be the reason and most stressful part?
A- No proper incentivization procedure, less bonus, Work-Family time imbalance and no

consideration for us by the company in terms of health and safety.
Q.3) Do the company cover for medical and damage insurance policies pertaining to car & you
in case of any emergency? What is their response regarding the same?
A- We have no idea about the insurance policies since we didn’t get one. There might be policy
provided to others rest, I don’t know.
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Q.4) What are the health risks do you face by driving all day?
A- Restlessness, Hypertension, Fatigue, Depression, Back problems, Obesity etc.
Q.5) What do you do in case of vehicle breakdown? Do the Ola/Uber company revert back in
A- No, we’ve to manage in case of any breakdown, there’s no response from the company.
Q.6) Can you share any real life incident regarding problems because of passengers?
A- There’s never been a fist fight of any sort, but yeah verbal abuse. I had some bill issues.
Sometimes passengers abuse. There are some incidents where passengers would call at some
isolated locations and there’s no proper response from the company, we’re supposed to manage.
Q.7) Is there any fix time for lunch/dinner during working hours? What are the ill effects of
working at odd hours?
A-There’s no fixed time and proper meal too. Generally, we eat fast food instead of full proper
meals, it affects our health. Ola pressurises us to focus more on passenger bookings rather than
health.
Q.8) What are the working shifts at Ola? Does change in working shifts affect your health?
A- One shift consists of 12 hours and 10 trips are allocated during this time period. It depends on
us when we want to start our shift. Yes, change in working shift affects our health since there is
no fixed time to work leading to imbalance in eating, sleeping and resting patterns.
Q.9) Are you affected by traffic congestion and pollution? If yes, how so?
A- During traffic congestion at the signal, the smoke coming out of many vehicles leads to
suffocation and ultimately to breathing problems. We suffocate when customers smoke inside
cars.
Q.10) How many holidays are granted by the company apart from taking personal holidays?
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A- No holidays are provided by the company, it depends on us when we want a holiday.
Q.11) Is there any formal training provided to you by the company before commencing the
actual work in transiting and commuting passengers?
A- No.
Driver 2
Name: Rasmesh
Age: 46
Experience: 15 years.
Q.1) Apart from the earning, what are the other benefits or rewards for Uber/Ola partners
that the company provides you?
A- No other benefits or rewards provided.
A- Family issues would be the reason since I am not able to manage time with my family. This
concerns me the most as I have a daughter who has reached marriageable age.
A- Yes, they provide insurances but they don’t care whether we’re alive or dead.
A- Restlessness, headache, chest pain.
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A- No, they do not, we have to manage on our own.
Q.6) Did you face any physical and psychological problems during working hours?
A- Yes. Once I faced psychological problems due to verbal abuse by passenger. It was leading to
a fight but I got away with it.
A- At Ahmedabad airport, I was involved in a fight with my passenger wherein he was at fault. I
immediately informed Ola regarding the matter but Ola said to manage. “ Customer is our King”
and they ignored my complaint.
A- No.
A- I have an allergy to dust. Whenever I come in contact with dust particles, especially during
traffic, it leads to suffocation and headache. Once, I even fainted because the pain was
unbearable due to allergy
A- No holidays. Depends on us.

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Q 12) Is there any formal training provided to you by the company before commencing the
actual work in transiting and commuting passengers?
A- Yes. They provide formal training through mobile which is not that effective
Driver 3
Name: Rajubhai.
Age: 49 years.
Experience: 25 years.
A- Driver allowance is provided when we visit outstations. When we are in the city, we just have
to depend on normal earnings.
A- They don’t hear the plea and problems of drivers, doesn’t take action against rude customers.
A- Yes. They provide such insurances but in case of emergencies, they don’t respond in time.
This leads to our financial loss and psychological impact.
A- Sometimes breathing problems, body pain, mental stress, tension, backache.
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A- We immediately inform Ola in case of emergency. They don’t respond back. Ultimately, the
responsibility falls on us which we cannot handle financially.
Q.6) Did you face any physical and psychological problems during working hours?
A- No. I rarely had acquaintance with passenger’s verbal abuse.
A- I don’t got into such conflicts.
A- There are no fixed time for lunch or dinner. Also, there is no fixed time to sleep
A- No.
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Driver 4
Name - Manish Pandey
Age - 39 years.
Driving Experience - 15 years.
A - No other benefits. We just have to depend on income which we generate during our work by
driving cab to feed my family.
A - Company doesn’t care for us. No benefits are provided. They don’t even respond to us when
we’re in an emergency.
A - No. The company just cares for their earnings via commission imposed on the booking fare.
They don’t entertain our complaints regarding the biggest issue. They just ignore & say ‘learn to
manage things. You’re a service provider. Whatever the customer does, be patient. Don’t react’.
A - Back pain, headache, acidity, boredom, etc.
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A - Whenever such an incident occurs, we inform them immediately but they don’t respond in
time. They always ignore, saying ‘We will talk about this later. Right now, customer is our
priority’. They don’t understand that we need help.
A- Yes. I was involved in a fist fight with one of my passengers when he denied to pay me the
fare because I didn’t allow him to smoke inside the car. He kept on asking & i kept on refusing.
Later, he got angry and attacked me.
A - No. There is no fixed time for lunch/dinner. We depend mostly on snacks during our work
since company emphasizes mostly on bookings. They don’t want us to waste a single minute on
eating & relaxing saying that bookings are priority.
A - Two shifts are provided, each of 12 hours. The number of targeted trips is decided by us
depending on how much we want to earn per day. Change in shift does affect our health in ways
which we later realise.
A - Yes. But not that much when compared to other drivers. I keep that safety in my mind.
A - No holidays are provided by the company.
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DRIVER 5
Name - Dinesh Shukla
Age - 31 years.
Driving Experience - 9 years.
A - No other benefits. Only salary is the source of income which we consider as benefits.
A - Low income, no support from the company, no allowance.
A - We dont have any medical or damage insurance provided by the company. The company
doesn’t even respond to such matters.
A - Back pain, restlessness, hypertension, etc.
21 | P a g e
A - We infrom the company but have to manage the situations ourselves. We ask them to
respond and help but the company doesn’t even answer our calls after the incident occurs.
A - Uptil now, i have faced only verbal abuse from passengers, that too harsh. Sometimes,
you’re not even able to control ourselves but keeping in mind the income and feeding our family,
we have to stay quiet.
A - No fix timings. We are not able to consume full meals during working hours. We have to
stay hungry sometimes, the whole day.
A - There are 2 shifts of 12 hours each. We divide the work into two or three drivers depending
upon the family conditions and amount of time spent.
A - No. Not to that level.
A - No holidays are provided by the company.
22 | P a g e

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HE0ALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

2. OSH ASPECTS OF OLA/UBER/CAB DRIVERS

Following Conventions are related to OSH aspects of Ola/Uber/Cab Drivers

 C155 - Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981

 The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

4.1 EXPOSURE TO VIBRATIONS

4.2 EXPOSURE TO NOISE POLLUTION

4.3 EXPOSURE TO PAINFUL POSITIONS

4.5 EXPOSURE TO SMOKE & DUST

Table No 1: Summary of Hazardous Substances

4.6 EXPOSURE TO VIOLENCE AT WORK

Following are the approaches to prevent workplace violence and stress:

4.7 EXPOSURE TO EXCESSIVE WORKING HOURS

4.8 EXPOSURE TO UNHYGIENIC WORKING CONDITIONS

4.9 EXPOSURE TO ACCIDENTS

Cab company should implement following measures to reduce road incidents

1) International Labour Organization - https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?

2) Evaluation of impact on Whole Body Vibrations -

3) Munzel (2018) - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5898791/

Name - Kamlesh Patel.

Driving Experience - 4 years (3 years in ola).

A- No proper incentivization procedure, less bonus, Work-Family time imbalance and no

A- Restlessness, Hypertension, Fatigue, Depression, Back problems, Obesity etc.

A- No other benefits or rewards provided.

A- Restlessness, headache, chest pain.

A- No, they do not, we have to manage on our own.

A- No holidays. Depends on us.

A- Sometimes breathing problems, body pain, mental stress, tension, backache.

A- No. I rarely had acquaintance with passenger’s verbal abuse.

A- I don’t got into such conflicts.

Name - Manish Pandey

Driving Experience - 15 years.

Name - Dinesh Shukla

Driving Experience - 9 years.

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