The Generalitat de Catalunya has opened administrative proceedings on its own initiative against the delivery platforms Glovo, Uber Eats and Amazon opened. The Departament d’Empresa i Treball asked the companies to submit their internal protocols for protecting delivery workers during extreme weather. The reason is the recent severe weather and official warnings in Catalonia in early October. The Inspecció de Treball de Catalunya set deadlines running until November for the submission of the documents.
The aim of the move is to establish whether the platforms adjust their operational procedures appropriately when weather alerts are issued, suspend routes or take other protective measures. Once the documentation has been received, the administration intends to assess whether requirements or penalties are necessary. No decision on specific fines has yet been made.
President Salvador Illa confirmed that the investigation had been opened and noted that occupational safety must adapt to changing climatic conditions. Companies are obliged to ensure the safety of their employees when warnings are in force. According to the government, the measure follows its approach of systematically checking, during exceptional weather events, whether risks have been properly assessed and reduced.
According to media reports, the platforms concerned generally refer to safety rules and internal procedures. The Inspecció de Treball de Catalunya is assessing the content and scope of the documents now requested. The key question is whether the protocols contain clear criteria for responding to warning levels and whether they can be put into practice effectively. For the authorities, this concerns both the immediate protection of delivery workers on the roads and how decision-making is organised when weather conditions change rapidly.
As the proceedings continue, the companies’ statements will be compared with the documented weather warnings and operational decisions during the periods concerned. The Generalitat de Catalunya has indicated that it will take administrative action if deficiencies are found. Regardless of any possible penalty proceedings, the assessment is likely to serve as a reference for future requirements. A public assessment of the submitted protocols is expected no earlier than after the November deadline.
According to government and media sources, the investigation was opened and publicised, among other outlets, by Catalunya Ràdio made known. Any further decision on penalties is subject to the completion of the investigation.
Editor: Andreas M. Brucker (Article created with AI assistance).