What Activity is the Most Dangerous to Work in? Estimation of the
Risk Level of Economic Activities in Ecuador
Dublin Core
Title
What Activity is the Most Dangerous to Work in? Estimation of the
Risk Level of Economic Activities in Ecuador
Risk Level of Economic Activities in Ecuador
Subject
Classification
Cluster analysis
Economic activities
Occupational risk
Cluster analysis
Economic activities
Occupational risk
Description
Classifying economic activities into risk levels is an occupational health and safety practice
that several countries worldwide observe. It allows government agencies to formulate public policies
with occupational risk prevention requirements tailored to each activity’s needs. Further, this level of risk
directly influences companies’ contributions to occupational risk insurers, whether public or private,
according to the dangerousness of their activity. In Ecuador, the classification of economic activities into
risk levels was carried out by a Committee of Experts based on administrative data. However, this
classification has been questioned for its lack of objectivity and for using administrative records, where
underreporting cases limit the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the data.
Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive, and comparative study uses data from the National Survey of
Employment, Unemployment, and Underemployment (ENEMDU). Estimates of the incidence rates of
injuries and illnesses by economic activity were grouped into three clusters (high, medium, and low)
according to the level of risk.
Results: An alternative risk classification of economic activities was obtained and compared with the
existing classification.
Conclusions: Our results help mitigate the uncertainty in the current risk classification of economic
activities’ lack of methodological rigor and evaluate the relevance of using data from the ENEMDU
survey. They also allow a comparison of two risk classifications developed from different methodologies
and data sources. From a practical perspective, the results will help decision-makers clarify current
regulations in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) policies.
that several countries worldwide observe. It allows government agencies to formulate public policies
with occupational risk prevention requirements tailored to each activity’s needs. Further, this level of risk
directly influences companies’ contributions to occupational risk insurers, whether public or private,
according to the dangerousness of their activity. In Ecuador, the classification of economic activities into
risk levels was carried out by a Committee of Experts based on administrative data. However, this
classification has been questioned for its lack of objectivity and for using administrative records, where
underreporting cases limit the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the data.
Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive, and comparative study uses data from the National Survey of
Employment, Unemployment, and Underemployment (ENEMDU). Estimates of the incidence rates of
injuries and illnesses by economic activity were grouped into three clusters (high, medium, and low)
according to the level of risk.
Results: An alternative risk classification of economic activities was obtained and compared with the
existing classification.
Conclusions: Our results help mitigate the uncertainty in the current risk classification of economic
activities’ lack of methodological rigor and evaluate the relevance of using data from the ENEMDU
survey. They also allow a comparison of two risk classifications developed from different methodologies
and data sources. From a practical perspective, the results will help decision-makers clarify current
regulations in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) policies.
Creator
Antonio R. Gómez-García 1,2
, Raúl Gutierrez-Álvarez 3
, Alywin H. Chang-León 1,2
,
José A. García-Arroyo 1,2
, Raúl Gutierrez-Álvarez 3
, Alywin H. Chang-León 1,2
,
José A. García-Arroyo 1,2
Source
https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/287282/1-s2.0-S2093791125X00032/1-s2.0-S209379112500023X/main.pdf?X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEGoaCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJHMEUCIQCbQ6lZ546XluACY%2FQF84HkvcyL326XKHwCXERCtCBPHAIgMao23kLmCTHQ0tnZqrMqWIRpCtueDwqLlIkdLmUjJ64qsgUIMxAFGgwwNTkwMDM1NDY4NjUiDBcpcdafNEW0WIrx9SqPBUi9j1SC6vORyGH1KgE5jx01DHUoDiFL3zmwTL8qMdz12KHDGDotORP%2FcSwn6f0byYpnShG%2FJ%2FnTkOlpIrwhz7CtHEwYHe%2BIAODTaaVfnmICsQ%2BSevNdj2vk%2BlBr7hdvrrThmk5%2BuNCMLx7WAsFZaliVgeGeChMd%2BQbn2lZ8Vo0ExSOA%2BIa%2FmIz9JSYc6mZTcewt7mNFFSm08fad0HLHGaWTkDUc%2B%2FDxK8x4s4ywsKm%2BKyexUSNyjBsuKrm79Qt1WqkLLxvuy8oXFOGZzq4bnJrcAM7AD2QHxnXhpF87rUWx062og58k4Q0MjJqvP0KvPKBSP%2FqC871tK0Ihq%2FDNY6gaqVA4sE7UAxAJZx8toq1pqsXV6%2B5EKU0PLqE3yXIwvMgkelypTAu5c9KVcYAUAwiVSGr2V%2Bm3I9LZCxxOym9n%2FTXMws0XfmyGpnW67rB6BGQaSPqOeTCZGUk%2FBMddRjaJZ%2FIxbCyBWDYr1iaYv7wUfuDIBJfJCo9VN0Rk4iczRpGqa4OpeLTiZ1sb2meZM5eX%2F5KbmR7QHp1zszfonEnIkb1uNVwRdgmyrFaKaLDLrN%2BDxWU6diQV3PZvIhjehMfysoGmc68%2Bo8x%2FMz03GI7lercyoyivT1WoNZsFvPoZac9Nwe9jvYt9B1FeIXuCKI3uBZkLMxrUDL94GtyDCxQZfQNijniBEaz8kmXgiVL5DROKvefA5zWJhotv8CEx8vj6s7vEBpX1VSGtdtVT5joYn5bqSIhO90WnNloESWhtSkvjhRvHaPsSZi8jcNrXqHIqekZDTo8PhOQofU9vq9VtDg8S5qiYtElaNZ8Yiae%2FL3Ul%2B9djqUgAfAYNl13HInLFMjcJw7CX2rYZKNVt1OQw3%2FGDzQY6sQHgKzYkTJZ%2B%2FF4dqbsunVc7u9pOupITCyy%2BUw6QXs7m0h0a6krXlomtN0c3ZaVknaqtO8Nkmk%2Bu3lWicsyWRUFjsrkx32gSMUyINOcOpAWJrmfxq6jXQkDmk5Vq1JggsJ5tV3KFbSog8uRp6rVCj%2BcHa8I8Qt8KH9rWrT2xr4CWYoUMd9yn%2B0t66K36OgUZsm5fyQk31ovzgbCHbikRZv3GqSxSfbSk4lqpAH6Z9h8qfQQ%3D&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20260227T020947Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAQ3PHCVTYW2PN3PSD%2F20260227%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=3b6a487cfd0ccc0a7970a01bec8a5b6aa0df63421a3e6a020de1a2dfd3f813d2&hash=6b6039b3b1870fba1dd872eb4f11333da64907886465f5f33e4b05f9b3f379d9&host=68042c943591013ac2b2430a89b270f6af2c76d8dfd086a07176afe7c76c2c61&pii=S209379112500023X&tid=spdf-9711cdad-18ca-4810-b3d8-58549189645d&sid=a74f698f1272c64207292458fba4f3c693a7gxrqb&type=client&tsoh=d3d3LnNjaWVuY2VkaXJlY3QuY29t&rh=d3d3LnNjaWVuY2VkaXJlY3QuY29t&ua=0b015e065356535355&rr=9d44245e4ef7ea7b&cc=id
Publisher
Universidad Espíritu Santo UEES, Samborondon, Ecuador
2Observatorio Ecuatoriano de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo (OESST), Samborondón, Ecuador
3Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
4Universidad Internacional de la Rioja UNIR, La Rioja, Spain
2Observatorio Ecuatoriano de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo (OESST), Samborondón, Ecuador
3Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
4Universidad Internacional de la Rioja UNIR, La Rioja, Spain
Date
28 March 2025
Contributor
FAJAR BAGUS W
Format
PDF
Language
ENGLISH
Type
TEXT
Files
Citation
Antonio R. Gómez-García 1,2
, Raúl Gutierrez-Álvarez 3
, Alywin H. Chang-León 1,2
,
José A. García-Arroyo 1,2, “What Activity is the Most Dangerous to Work in? Estimation of the
Risk Level of Economic Activities in Ecuador,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 25, 2026, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/11901.
Risk Level of Economic Activities in Ecuador,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 25, 2026, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/11901.