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What it regulates
Organises the inspection system and its powers. For occupational health and safety it covers prevention enforcement, investigation of occupational accidents and diseases and measures addressing non-compliance.
Who it applies to
A law of general scope across labour and social-security matters; this record selects its occupational health and safety functions. State and regional responsibilities and special rules for certain workplaces must be respected.
Key provisions
Enforce prevention and legal-technical rules affecting working conditions and investigate occupational accidents and diseases.
Article 12Inspectors may visit workplaces, request information and conduct tests; entry into an individual’s home requires express consent or judicial authorisation.
Article 13The Occupational Safety and Health sub-inspector scale checks material conditions, technical rules and prevention programmes and provides advice within its powers and supervision arrangements.
Article 14Document inspections in written records and involve worker representatives where required; the law prohibits requiring inspected parties to obtain or have books officially endorsed for that purpose.
Article 21Depending on the findings, measures include requiring correction, initiating penalties, proposing benefit surcharges and ordering an immediate stoppage where prevention breaches create serious and imminent danger.
Article 22History and versions
Initial publication: 22/07/2015 · Initial entry into force: 23/07/2015
BOE-A-2015-8168Within this prevention selection, Royal Decree-Law 7/2021 extended Article 13(2) on experts who may accompany inspections. The other selected provisions retain their initial 2015 wording. Changes to other Articles and the full analysis remain available in the BOE.
Text versions of the selected OSH provisions
| Publication | Effective date | Official reference | Affected provisions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22/07/2015 | 23/07/2015 | BOE-A-2015-8168 | Article 12, Article 13, Article 14, Article 21, Article 22 |
| 28/04/2021 | 29/04/2021 | BOE-A-2021-6872 | Article 13 |
Sources for this selection:
BOE-A-2021-6872Transitional provisions and application notes
The initial regime retained services, staff and appropriations pending establishment and resourcing of the new body. Royal Decree 192/2018 approved its statutes; it must not be described as still awaiting creation.
Transitional provision firstThe penalty-jurisdiction rule retains the prior regime pending implementing rules for LISOS Article 48(1). Identifying today’s competent authority requires current procedural rules and territorial responsibilities, not the transitional provision alone.
Transitional provision secondThe entry-qualification transition ended on 1 January 2019 for the Employment and Social Security scale. It did not apply to the new Occupational Safety and Health scale.
Transitional provision thirdIt repealed Law 42/1997; earlier regulations survive only insofar as they do not conflict with this law, until amended or repealed.
Repealing provision soleThe 2018–2020 plan in the history is historical. Publication of the 2025–2027 Strategic Plan by the Resolution of 8 September 2025 has been verified; a plan does not replace statutory powers and safeguards.
Official reference
Official BOE legal relationships
The displayed history is limited to the selected OSH provisions. The BOE analysis also retains the relationships affecting other subjects in the legislation.
Consult the full BOE analysis
