When a foreign company participates in a construction project in Spain, it must adapt to a specific regulatory framework regarding occupational risk prevention, business coordination, and subcontracting. Having a suitable health and safety coordinator who knows Spanish legislation can be essential for starting work correctly and avoiding delays resulting from documentary or preventive non-compliance.
This aspect is especially important for developers, construction companies, and foreign firms arriving in Spain to execute works directly or as contractors or subcontractors.
When Does a Foreign Company Need a Health and Safety Coordinator?
The need to appoint a health and safety coordinator depends on the characteristics of the project and the agents involved. In Spain, health and safety coordination in construction is regulated, among other provisions, by Royal Decree 1627/1997.
The coordinator’s role is particularly relevant when several companies, contractors, subcontractors, or self-employed workers are involved. Their job consists of integrating prevention into the planning and execution of the work, coordinating the activities of the different participants, and supervising that preventive measures are applied consistently during the project’s development.
For a foreign company, hiring this service also offers an additional advantage: having a technical interlocutor who knows the procedures, documents, and obligations required in Spain. GespreObra‘s Health and Safety Coordination on Site covers actions in both the design and execution phases, as well as the preventive monitoring of participating companies.
Main Difficulties for Foreign Companies Building in Spain
A company from another country may have its own prevention procedures and yet still encounter specific requirements when starting a project in Spain.
Aspects that should be reviewed before starting work include:
- The preventive documentation required for the company and its workers.
- The organization of occupational risk prevention.
- Coordination with the developer, the project management team, and other companies present on site.
- Access requirements for workers, machinery, and auxiliary equipment.
- The Health and Safety Plan and other preventive documents applicable to the project.
- Management of the subcontracting chain.
- The possible obligation to register in the Register of Accredited Companies (REA).
Law 32/2006 regulates specific requirements for contractors and subcontractors in the construction sector, including the accreditation of certain requirements regarding preventive organization and, where applicable, registration in the Register of Accredited Companies. Registration is valid throughout the national territory.
The REA: A Key Procedure for Foreign Construction Companies and Subcontractors
The Register of Accredited Companies (REA) is one of the points a foreign company must analyze before starting work on a construction site in Spain.
According to official REA information, companies and self-employed workers with employees who intend to be contracted or subcontracted to perform work on a construction site must meet the applicable registration conditions. The purpose of the register is to accredit certain requirements related to the capacity and quality of occupational risk prevention.
Therefore, it is not advisable to leave this analysis for the moment when the work is already prepared to begin. An issue with the documentation or the company’s accreditation can affect the contracting, documentary coordination, and site access processes.
In the case of foreign companies, management may require a prior review of their business and preventive situation to determine which obligations apply to them based on their activity and their role within the contracting chain. A health and safety consultancy for construction sites with experience in international projects can help identify these requirements and organize the documentary process from the start.
How to Hire a Health and Safety Coordinator Step by Step?
1. Analyze the Project and the Company’s Role
Before hiring the service, it is necessary to define how the foreign company will participate in the project. Acting as a developer, main contractor, or subcontracted company is not the same.
Factors such as the type of work, its duration, the number of concurrent companies, and the risks associated with the planned activities must also be assessed. This information will allow for the determination of coordination, technical assistance, and documentary management needs.
2. Look for a Coordinator with Experience in Spanish Regulations
The selected provider must know the regulatory framework applicable to construction in Spain and have the capacity to coordinate with all agents on the site.
GespreObra offers specialized services in Health and Safety Coordination, in both the design and execution phases, as well as complementary solutions for national and international companies. Their service can be adapted to projects requiring exclusive dedication or a scheduled partial presence, depending on the characteristics of the work.
3. Review Preventive Documentation Before Starting Work
Proper health and safety consultancy for construction sites should not be limited to intervening only when problems appear. A prior review of documentation allows for the detection of pending requirements before they affect the start of work.
At this point, technical office services may be necessary for the preparation and management of preventive documentation, such as Health and Safety Plans, Health and Safety Studies, Basic Studies, and other documents linked to the preventive management of the project. GespreObra has a specific Technical Office and OHS documentary management service.
4. Check the Company’s Status Regarding the REA
For contractors and subcontractors, this step deserves a specific review. Law 32/2006 establishes obligations related to the accreditation and registration of companies involved in works within its scope of application, while the official REA platform details the obligated parties and general registration requirements.
A foreign company should not assume that its accreditations or preventive systems from its country of origin automatically replace the requirements for working in Spain. Analyzing its situation beforehand allows for the identification of the necessary documentation and avoids errors in the process of joining the project.
5. Coordinate Contractors, Subcontractors, and Workers
Prevention on a construction site requires continuous coordination. When different companies are involved, it is necessary to control interferences between activities and ensure that preventive information is properly shared.
6. Maintain Monitoring Throughout the Project
Hiring a health and safety coordinator should not be understood as a one-off procedure. Preventive planning must adapt to the actual evolution of the work.
Monitoring can include site visits, coordination meetings, review of the Health and Safety Plan, documentary control, monitoring of access and participating companies, reports, and support for incidents or requirements. These elements are part of the coordination services offered by GespreObra.
Why Hire a Specialized Consultancy Before Starting?
The main mistake many companies make is seeking help only when a problem arises: rejected documentation, blocked access, doubts about subcontracting, or pending preventive requirements.
A health and safety consultancy for construction sites can intervene before the start of the project to review the company’s situation, identify its obligations, and establish a work plan adapted to its activity in Spain.
In addition to facilitating compliance with applicable requirements, prior planning allows for improved coordination between international teams and local project managers.
GespreObra: Specialized Support for Foreign Companies Building in Spain
If your company is going to execute a project in Spain, do not wait to have problems with documentation or site access. GespreObra can accompany you through Health and Safety Coordination services, CAE, prevention technicians, technical office, and documentary management adapted to the needs of national and international companies. Especially if your company acts as a contractor or subcontractor, review your situation regarding the Register of Accredited Companies (REA) from the very first moment.
Having a specialized consultant to analyze the applicable requirements and correctly manage this process can help you avoid delays and facilitate your incorporation into the project. Request advice from GespreObra and prepare your project in Spain with an appropriate preventive and documentary strategy from the start.
