Health and safety at work in Spain

Overview

Spanish law requires every employer to actively protect the health and safety of employees (prevención de riesgos laborales), covering everything from office ergonomics to physical hazards on a construction site.

Requirements

• Applies to all employees, regardless of sector or contract type
• Your employer must assess workplace risks and provide relevant training and protective equipment

Step-by-step process

• Check whether you received a health and safety induction when you started — this is a legal requirement, not an optional extra
• Confirm your employer provides any protective equipment your role requires, at no cost to you
• Report any hazard or unsafe condition to your employer or designated health and safety representative promptly
• If a workplace accident occurs, it must be formally reported (parte de accidente) — this affects both your medical cover and any compensation

Required documents

• Records of any safety training received
• Accident report (parte de accidente), if applicable

Common mistakes

• Not reporting a minor workplace injury at the time it happens — this can complicate things if it turns out to be more serious later
• Assuming safety training and equipment are optional extras rather than legal employer obligations

Practical tips

• Workplace accidents and occupational illnesses generally have more favourable social security and compensation treatment than ordinary illness — always flag clearly if an injury happened at work
• Larger workplaces are required to have a designated health and safety representative — ask who this is if you're unsure

How Tuchati can help

If you're unsure whether your workplace is meeting its safety obligations, or how to report an incident, Tuchati can help you understand the right steps.