Preventing and Protecting the Health of Older Workers: A Call for Action in Ecuador’s Occupational Safety and Health Legislation

The population is aging. The Republic of Ecuador is experiencing a demographic transition characterized by an increasing proportion of older individuals in its population. This trend presents challenges for the country’s social security system and the health of its aging workforce. Older workers are more vulnerable to occupational diseases and require targeted policies to promote healthy aging and reduce age-related health risks. This study aims to identify explicit indications for the prevention and protection of health for workers aged 55 and over in Ecuador’s current occupational safety and health (OSH) legislation. An exploratory study was conducted using a qualitative approach, involving a documentary review of OSH legal regulations. The analysis was conducted in two stages: retrieval and classification of regulations, followed by text extraction to assess relevant information. The main result of this study is that we found no evidence of explicit indications for prevention and protection of health for workers aged 55 and over in the sample of current Ecuadorian OSH legislation revised. The study’s findings are expected to contribute to the development of strategies and policies that address the specific needs of Ecuador’s aging workforce and ensure their health, safety, and well-being as they approach retirement age.