Physical and psychological hazards in the gig economy system: A systematic review

Background & objectives: Gig economy platforms expose workers to a raft of safety hazards and research beyond examination of individual contributing factors to incidents is limited. This systematic review addresses this limitation by using a systems thinking framework (Rasmussen's Risk Management Framework, 1997) to map hazards across the gig work system to identify risks to physical and psychological safety outcomes.Methods: A systematic search in accordance with PRISMA-P guidelines was conducted using keywords that specified the setting (gig economy work environments), topic (hazards), and study parameters. Data were then extracted from the selected studies and a methodological quality assessment undertaken to evaluate the strength of evidence. The hazards identified were mapped across the gig work system using Rasmussen's (1997) Risk Management Framework.esults: The systematic search retrieved 1963 articles. Following the application of the eligibility criteria, a total of 34 articles were included, which featured outcome measures centred around risk, safety, autonomy, flexibility, and identity. When mapped across the gig work system, the most common hazards were at the company level, with the most prevalent hazards being platform control and work insecurity.Conclusion: This study is the first to provide a holistic representation of the hazards across the gig economy system, representing a critical step in developing a comprehensive understanding of the systemic nature of the factors contributing to safety outcomes in gig work. The findings showed systemic issues beyond workers' control, necessitating a shift away from traditional research and intervention approaches solely targeting individual incidents at the worker level.

Automated summary

This systematic review uses a systems thinking framework to analyze hazards and risks in the gig economy platforms and identifies the most common hazards at the company level, which are platform control and work insecurity. The study highlights the need to shift away from traditional research and intervention approaches that solely target individual incidents at the worker level, and instead develop a comprehensive understanding of the systemic factors contributing to safety outcomes in gig work.