"From snow to heat, extreme weather events pose outsized risks for food delivery workers,"

... Around the world, millions of food delivery workers regularly go up against the elements to maintain their income during severe weather, biking across town in ankle-deep floods after a hurricane or through a haze of smoke during wildfire season.

As climate change accelerates, one of the most prevalent weather risks delivery workers face is extreme heat. New research shows that food delivery orders surge as temperatures inch up... A large portion of that heat exposure transfers directly from consumers to those making the deliveries—and many workers lack mitigation options or health insurance to protect them...

An influx of people placing food orders during bad weather often results in something called “surge pricing,” which means that users must pay more for their delivery. These incentives and high demand can push workers to deliver under dangerous conditions...

However, working during these high-demand periods doesn’t always translate to extra income...

“In extreme heat, smoke from wildfires, snowstorms and floods, a largely immigrant workforce of color risks serious injury performing the outdoor jobs that New York City relies on,” Ligia Guallpa, co-founder of Los Deliveristas Unidos, said in a statement...

But the onus is also on app companies to help protect their gig workers, experts say. For example, in India, food delivery companies Swiggy and Zomato have each set up hundreds of rest points with water and washrooms for employees to recharge during long, hot days. The authors of the study published last week also recommend that companies establish mechanisms that provide delivery workers with heat allowances and subsidies, health insurance and training programs to recognize and mitigate heat stress...