The health and safety study is the mandatory technical document drafted during the project stage to identify, prevent, and plan the reduction of occupational risks before construction begins.
Designing preventive measures from the conceptual stage of a project looks like a formal requirement of the technical office, but in operational reality a lack of detail in this document causes safety incidents on the ground. Omitting the study, or drafting it without the rigour required by Royal Decree 1627/1997, stalls the granting of permits and leads to high administrative penalties for the project owner.
In this guide you will understand what a preventive study must contain, in which situations a basic study is allowed, and how to transfer its requirements into the general budget without deviations. If you want to explore the execution stage, we invite you to read our guide on the health and safety plan on site.
When the Study or the Basic Study is mandatory
Spanish regulations determine the type of preventive document according to the scale, duration, and complexity of the works.
Criteria requiring a Health and Safety Study
The developer is required to commission a Health and Safety Study when the works meet any of the following conditions:
- Execution budget by contract equal to or above €450,759.
- Estimated duration over 30 working days, employing more than 20 workers simultaneously at some point.
- Estimated labour volume above 500 working days (the sum of the days of all workers).
- Works involving tunnels, galleries, underground conduits, or dams.
Basic Health and Safety Study (EBSS)
For projects that do not reach any of the above figures, the designer will draft a Basic Study. This document sets out the preventive requirements and mandatory guidelines that the contractor must follow in its working methods.
Documents that make up the Health and Safety Study
The study is not a set of generic recommendations but a mandatory technical report made up of four interconnected parts:
- Descriptive report: identification of avoidable and unavoidable risks, proposed technical solutions, and temporary site installations.
- Specific conditions specification: technical specifications for the mandatory machinery, collective protection, and individual protection.
- Safety drawings: schematics for scaffolding assembly, signage, storage areas, evacuation routes, and collective protection.
- Measurements and budget: a detailed breakdown of the direct safety costs, which cannot be discounted at the tender stage.
To control the profitability and traceability of these items, having project budget management software is essential.
Process to draft a Health and Safety Study
Drafting this technical document must be aligned with the architectural or engineering design from its earliest stages.
Step 1: Identify the environment and initial risks. Analyse the plot access, power lines, neighbouring buildings, and geotechnical conditions.
Step 2: Assess the work units. Study the planned construction solutions (foundations, structure, roofing) and determine the necessary preventive measures.
Step 3: Define the protective means. Size the collective (nets, guardrails) and individual protections that must be provided.
Step 4: Financial valuation with no discount. Calculate the real cost of implementing safety to include it in the execution project budget.
Step 5: Integration into the execution project. Attach the study to the overall project for the planning-permit application and subsequent tendering of the works.
You can coordinate incidents and assignments on site through digital work reports.
Connection between the project and Coordination of Business Activities
The Health and Safety Study is the technical basis on which the contractor will later prepare its Safety Plan. When the works start, the convergence of different companies and self-employed workers requires validating that all assigned staff meet the requirements set out in the project.
To prevent the entry of staff without the specific training or the corresponding medical checks, it is advisable to rely on a construction project management app.
How Trowel helps
| Problem | How Trowel solves it |
|---|---|
| Deviations in the budget item allocated to the project's safety measures | Trowel lets you monitor approved safety costs against the actual site spend via the documentary management solution |
| Lack of verification of technical documentation before the works begin | A centralised platform to share and review projects, studies, and technical certifications between developers and contractors |
| Difficulty justifying the preventive inspections set out in the technical specification | A mobile module to audit and record site safety reviews with instantly signed photographic evidence |
| Loss of documentary control over subcontracted companies at the start of the project | Automated alerts on the expiry of contracts, preventive training, and REA records before site access |
You can see the technical detail of each module in Trowel Academy.
Frequently asked questions
Who is required to draft the Health and Safety Study?
The Health and Safety Study is part of the execution project, so drafting it is the responsibility of the developer or the designer who designs the works.
Can discounts be applied to the health and safety budget?
No. The law expressly prohibits applying financial discounts to the Health and Safety Study budget during the tender or award stage of the contract.
What is the difference between the Study and the Safety Plan?
The Study is drafted by the designer before the works are contracted to set the minimum safety requirements, while the Plan is prepared by the contractor to adapt those requirements to its way of working.
Is it necessary to modify the Safety Study during the works?
The Safety Study is the initial reference. If substantial changes occur in the execution project during the works, the project management team must draft the corresponding amendments so the contractor can adapt its plan.
Conclusion
The Health and Safety Study is the first line of defence for preventing workplace accidents and designing viable, orderly works that fit the regulatory framework from the outset.
Integrating safety requirements from the planning stage avoids financial surprises and eases the subsequent control of the Coordination of Business Activities. If you want to digitise the technical and administrative control of your works, request a free Trowel demo.
You may also be interested in
- Health and safety plan on site: step-by-step guide →
- Construction site safety regulations →
- How to manage subcontracting on site without legal risk →
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