Objective:

To describe working conditions and health problems at the working-age population in the Ecuadorian social security system of Quito.

Materials and methods:

Descriptive study based on the results of the First Survey on Safety and Health at Work (I-ECSST, by its Spanish acronym). 741 people were interviewed at home between April and June 2016. The sampling design was probabilistic, multistage and stratified by 32 urban parishes.

Results:

A considerable proportion of workers were exposed to ergonomic risk factors. In particular, 60% of surveyed workers evidenced repetitive movements throughout their work activity. A high prevalence of pains and problems were evidenced as follows: back (50%), head (40%) and upper limb (26%). 13% of workers reported having suffered a work-related accident in the previous year.

Conclusions:

The I-ECSST reveals a multitude of occupational risk factors at workplaces that may be causing damage to the health of the working population. These results could be helpful in guiding public policies in order to improve the health of the working population.