Safe Work Australia is seeking feedback on the regulation of crowd platform arrangements under the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act with the aim of ensuring crowd platform workers receive the same WHS protections as other workers.
Crowd platforms are a type of digital labour platform that connect workers and clients. Clients can select workers from a pool of applicants who submit bids through the platform, with terms and negotiation often undertaken directly between the client and worker.
Crowd platforms are different to on-demand platforms, where work involving the delivery of goods or services requested by end-users is directly assigned to workers through algorithmic systems (e.g. food delivery platforms, ride-hailing platforms).
There is a lack of clarity on who is responsible for work health and safety in crowd platform work. This has led to concerns that some workers using crowd platforms may not be adequately protected from health and safety risks.
To further understand these issues, we have published a consultation paper seeking feedback on:
- how work health and safety arrangements currently apply to crowd platforms and where gaps in worker protections may exist, and
- potential options to address these gaps, such as introducing a new duty under the model WHS Act that would apply to crowd platform operators.
Responses to this public consultation (and any future related consultations) will inform Safe Work Australia Member discussions.
Who should participate?
We encourage anyone with an interest or direct experience in the use of crowd platforms to participate in the consultation.
How to have your say
Visit our Consultation Hub to read the consultation paper outlining key issues and complete the survey.