Health and Safety for Domestic Workers

The National Institute for Safety and Health at Work (Instituto Nacional de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo) has developed a free tool that enables employers to assess occupational health and safety risks for domestic workers — no technical knowledge required.

Download the questionnaire here.

With the entry into force of Real Decreto 893/2024 (Royal Decree 893/2024) and the launch of the Prevencion10.es platform, families employing a domestic worker must take specific steps to comply with their new legal obligations on occupational health and safety risk prevention. These steps are straightforward but mandatory:

  1. Access Prevención10: Via the official platform Prevencion10.es, employers must complete a risk assessment covering occupational hazards present in their home. The process is free, guided and requires no technical knowledge.
  2. Generate and retain the report: Once the questionnaire is completed, the platform produces a report detailing the risks identified, the corrective measures recommended, the timescales for implementation and the person responsible. This document must be retained as evidence of compliance in the event of a Labour Inspectorate (Inspección de Trabajo) request.
  3. Inform the domestic worker: The employer must provide the domestic worker with a copy of the report and explain clearly the risks identified and the measures taken to address them.
  4. Provide the necessary personal protective equipment: Depending on the worker’s tasks (cleaning, cooking, ironing, elderly care, etc.), the employer must supply appropriate personal protective equipment, such as gloves, masks or non-slip footwear. These must be kept in good condition and replaced when necessary.
  5. Keep up to date with future regulatory changes: In the coming months, the Ministry of Labour will publish a technical guide for risk prevention in the family home and a specific protocol for preventing harassment or violence in the domestic workplace. Staying informed and adapting to these developments will be essential for full compliance with current regulations.

This new regulatory framework not only improves protection for domestic workers, but also provides greater legal certainty for employing families — provided they fulfil their responsibilities.