Abstract
Objective: The recent recognition of occupational safety and health as a fundamental right of workers has reinforced the need for countries to develop strong national policies in this area, as well as the systematic evaluation of these policies using relevant indicators. The objective of this work is to present the most significant findings of the ECoTES Index obtained from its implementation in 2025 across all Ibero-American countries.
Methods: The Expert Network on Working Conditions, Employment and Health developed the ECoTES Index, with values ranging from 0 (low) to 2 (high), based on a combination of expert assessment and seven statistical indicators from the International Labour Organization database.
Results: In this edition, 998 experts from 22 Ibero-American countries were invited and 314 responses were obtained (31.5%). For the 13 comparable countries, the overall index value clustered around 0.5. Spain (0.68) and Chile (0.63) showed the highest values, whereas Honduras (0.19), Guatemala (0.38), and Venezuela (0.40) showed the lowest. The correlation between the index components was moderate (r = 0.58; p < 0.05), and the correlation with the Human Development Index was high (r = 0.86; p < 0.001)..
Conclusions: The observed differences may be related to structural weaknesses, institutional capacity, and unequal social protection coverage across countries. The ECoTES Index is the first comparative tool for assessing national occupational safety and health systems in Ibero-America and provides a common basis for strengthening institutional capacities.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Fernando G. Benavides, Cecilia Cornelio, Marianela Rojas, Lino Carmenate Milián, Douglas Barraza, Keneth Masis Leandro, Alejandra Vives, María José Itatí Iñiguez, David Gimeno Ruiz de Porras , Lida Orta, Marcelo Amable, Dusting Oreamuno Álvarez