UNDER-REGISTRATION OF WORK ACCIDENTS IN ECUADOR: NEW EVIDENCE, LIMITATIONS AND PRIORITIES

Abstract

The development of a work focused on underreporting - potential underreporting of accidents at work in the Republic of Ecuador is presented, in order to have statistical information on workplace accidents, at least rough estimates, this being essential for making of public actions in the field of safety and health at work. Basic statistical models were applied at the national level and by economic sectors with official records of work accidents of different categories. For the calculated estimates, 407,838 work accidents would have occurred (rate = 13,889.0) and caused the death of 534 workers (rate = 18.1). An underregistry - underreporting percentage of 80.7% (95% CI: 63.8 - 97.6) is estimated at the national level, mostly in the industrial economic sectors (91.3%; 95% CI: 76.4 -
106, 3) and services (77.0%; 95% CI: 58.3 - 95.8), showing significant deviations in agriculture and construction. Finally, the results of the present study show the need to create mechanisms that motivate social awareness of the benefits of notification of work accidents that guarantee the rights of workers.

Keywords: Under-registration, Accidents, Occupational, Ecuador (MeSH).

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