Sistemas de protección colectiva para condiciones ambientales extremas en sectores productivos del Ecuador.

Abstract

Abstract: Climate change has intensified extreme environmental conditions in Ecuador's productive sectors, generating new challenges for occupational safety and health, particularly for construction and agribusiness workers. This study aimed to analyze the use, constraints, and benefits of collective protection systems implemented in the face of these adverse conditions. A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA protocol, consulting the databases (PubMed), (SciELO), (Redalyc), (Dialnet), and (Google Scholar) for the period 2020 to 2025. Of a total of 2,518,873 articles initially identified, 20 studies were selected and analyzed, meeting the inclusion criteria. The results showed that administrative measures prevailed over physical engineering controls in the implementation of collective protection, and that their effectiveness varied according to company size. Occupational heat stress was highlighted as the main environmental risk, affecting outdoor workers. A significant discrepancy was observed between the Ecuadorian regulatory framework and its practical application, especially in microenterprises. It is concluded that the effectiveness of collective protection systems can be improved through the integration of technology, systematic epidemiological surveillance, and the participation of workers in the design of preventive measures.