Rules by sector
Office regulations in Spain: temperature, health and safety, contractors and building checks (2026)
An office looks like the business with the fewest obligations, and it is not: everything the law asks of an enclosed workplace applies from the first employee. Temperature is covered by two different rules, the upkeep of the premises comes down to one sentence worth reading in full, every technician from another company who comes in to fix something triggers the coordination of business activities, and fifty staff bring the internal reporting channel. Here is each obligation with its article, the checks on the building's installations and what the rules do not say.
Does it apply to you? An office's obligations, one by one
| Obligation | Does it apply? | How often and who | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risk assessment and prevention plan | Yes, from the first employee | Initial assessment, updated when conditions change; the employer can run prevention personally with up to 10 staff, or 25 at a single workplace, except health surveillance | Act 31/1995, Art. 16; RD 39/1997, Arts. 2 and 11 |
| Temperature, air and upkeep of the premises | Yes, in enclosed workplaces | Always: 17 to 27 ºC for sedentary work and humidity of 30 to 70 % (Annex III.3); periodic maintenance and prompt correction of anything affecting health and safety (Annex II.4) | RD 486/1997, Arts. 5 and 7, Annexes II and III |
| Workstations with screens | If someone uses a screen habitually and for a significant part of their work | Assessment of the workstation; breaks or a change of tasks, with no minutes set by the rule; health surveillance before starting and then as the doctor decides | RD 488/1997, Arts. 2, 3 and 4 |
| Coordination with contractors and outside technicians | Every time staff from another company or a self-employed worker works in the office | Before they start and whenever the risks change; in writing if they are serious or very serious | Act 31/1995, Art. 24; RD 171/2004, Arts. 4, 7 and 8 |
| Internal reporting system | With 50 or more employees; below that, voluntary | Permanent | Act 2/2023, Art. 10(1)(a) and 10(2) |
| Right-to-disconnect policy | Yes: the law sets no minimum headcount | Once, after consulting the workers' representatives | Organic Act 3/2018, Art. 88(3); Workers' Statute, Art. 20 bis |
| Fire protection | Yes, for whatever equipment the office has | Extinguishers: every 3 months (the company or a maintenance firm), every year and every 5 years (approved maintenance firm); inspection every 10 years only from 2,000 m² built, or with high special-risk or storage areas, and anything beyond extinguishers or lighting | RD 513/2017, Annex II and Art. 22(2) |
| Self-protection plan | Not under the national catalogue in force since 11 October 2026; yes if your region's catalogue or the authorities require it | Where it applies: a drill at least once a year and a review of the plan at most every 5 years | Order INT/1068/2026, Annex I and sections 1.4, 2.5.2 and 2.6 |
| Electrical installation | If the office counts as a public-use premises: open to the public and with an expected occupancy of more than 50 people, or with capacity for more than 100 | Initial inspection and then every 5 years by an approved inspection body; the earthing, checked once a year | REBT, ITC-BT-05 (4.2), ITC-BT-18 (12) and ITC-BT-28 (1) |
| Air conditioning and hot water | If there is a fixed thermal installation | Up to 70 kW, an approved maintenance firm with no compulsory contract (air conditioning up to 12 kW, every 2 years); above 70 kW, a contract, monthly servicing and an efficiency inspection every 4 years | RITE, Art. 26, IT 3.3 and IT 4 |
| Lift | If the building has a lift | Monthly maintenance by the lift firm; inspection every 2 years in an office building with an expected occupancy of more than 50 people, otherwise every 4 or 6 years depending on the building | RD 355/2024, ITC AEM 1, Arts. 5(4) and 11(4) |
| Legionella | Yes: the water in toilets and kitchenettes is listed in Annex I, with no size threshold | A prevention and control plan (PPCL) or a health plan (PSL); the tasks depend on what there is: a hot water cylinder, humidifiers, a cooling tower | RD 487/2022, Arts. 3(1) and 7(1) and Annex I |
Rules read in their consolidated text in the BOE (Spain's official gazette) on 19 October 2026. The health and safety rules apply to any office with staff; the installation rules, depending on what the building has.
The short answer
An office is a workplace, and almost everything it has to do follows from that. From the first employee there must be a risk assessment and someone organising prevention; the premises must meet Royal Decree 486/1997 on temperature, cleaning and upkeep; computer workstations, Royal Decree 488/1997; and when a technician from another company comes in to fix something, you have to coordinate with them.
Two headcount figures change things: with up to ten employees, or twenty-five at a single workplace, the employer can run prevention personally; with fifty or more, the company needs an internal reporting system. The building's installations have their own checks, in the table.
Temperature: two rules and two ranges
There are two rules, and they do not contradict each other. The first is about health and safety, for any enclosed workplace:
La temperatura de los locales donde se realicen trabajos sedentarios propios de oficinas o similares estará comprendida entre 17 y 27 ºC. (“The temperature of premises where sedentary work typical of offices or similar is carried out shall be between 17 and 27 ºC.”)
The same section of Royal Decree 486/1997 requires relative humidity of between 30 % and 70 %, or at least 50 % where there is a risk of static electricity (Annex III.3(b)), and 30 cubic metres of clean air per hour per worker for sedentary work without tobacco smoke (Annex III.3(d)). For light work, the range is 14 to 25 ºC.
The second is about saving energy. The Reglamento de Instalaciones Térmicas en los Edificios (RITE, the Spanish regulation on thermal installations in buildings) limits rooms in administrative use that are heated or cooled with conventional energy: heating may not go above 21 ºC and cooling may not go below 26 ºC (IT 3.8.2), and in rooms of more than 1,000 m² the current temperature and humidity must be on display (IT 3.8.3). The RITE itself says these limits apply “sin perjuicio de lo establecido en el anexo III del Real Decreto 486/1997” (without prejudice to Annex III of Royal Decree 486/1997). Where both rules apply, an office sits between 17 and 21 ºC with the heating on and between 26 and 27 ºC with the air conditioning on.
Worth knowing
The temporary limits of 2022 no longer apply. The energy-saving plan in Royal Decree-Law 14/2022 set other values on a temporary basis, and its final provision 17.2 kept them only “hasta el 1 de noviembre de 2023” (until 1 November 2023). Today the RITE's 21 and 26 ºC apply.
RD 486/1997 deals with enclosed premises. For outdoor work, its sole additional provision requires working conditions, including working hours, to be adapted when the State Meteorological Agency issues an orange or red warning and other measures are not enough.
Upkeep of the premises, in its exact wording
The sentence in Royal Decree 486/1997 about maintenance is often misquoted. It does not say “se subsanarán con rapidez las deficiencias” (deficiencies shall be remedied promptly); it says this:
Los lugares de trabajo y, en particular, sus instalaciones, deberán ser objeto de un mantenimiento periódico, de forma que sus condiciones de funcionamiento satisfagan siempre las especificaciones del proyecto, subsanándose con rapidez las deficiencias que puedan afectar a la seguridad y salud de los trabajadores. (“Workplaces and, in particular, their installations shall be subject to periodic maintenance so that their operating conditions always meet the design specifications, with any deficiencies that may affect workers' health and safety being remedied promptly.”)
Read in full, it makes three things clear. It sets no frequency: “periodic” means whatever the design, the manufacturer or the maintenance plan says. Promptness is required for anything that may affect the health and safety of the people working there, not for every defect: a socket giving off sparks, yes; a jammed blind, it depends. And it does not require a written record of the upkeep of the premises.
Annex II adds that walkways and emergency exits must be kept free of obstacles at all times, that the premises are cleaned periodically and whenever needed, and that, where there is mechanical ventilation, a control system must flag any fault when this is necessary for health. Work equipment follows Royal Decree 1215/1997: maintenance according to the manufacturer (Art. 3.5) and, for equipment that may deteriorate until it becomes dangerous, periodic documented checks that are kept for its whole working life (Art. 4).
Workstations with screens
Royal Decree 488/1997 protects anyone who uses a screen “habitualmente y durante una parte relevante de su trabajo normal” (habitually and for a significant part of their normal work) (Art. 2(c)). The employer assesses the risks to eyesight and the physical and mental load according to time spent at the screen, and if there are risks, reduces continuous work by alternating tasks or with breaks (Art. 3). It offers health surveillance before starting, then as often as the doctor decides and whenever symptoms appear (Art. 4). The workstation meets the Annex: an adjustable screen with no glare, a separate keyboard and a chair with adjustable height.
The rule sets no minutes of break time: the words “minuto” (minute) and “hora” (hour) do not appear in its text. How often breaks are taken can be agreed in the collective agreement (Art. 3.4). And laptops that are not used continuously at a workstation, among others, fall outside it (Art. 1.3).
Health and safety: who runs it
Risk assessment and planning of prevention are compulsory from the first employee (Act 31/1995, Art. 16) and are set out in a prevention plan. A company with up to fifty employees and no hazardous activities from Annex I can combine the plan, the assessment and the planning in one short document (Royal Decree 39/1997, Art. 2.4).
The employer can run prevention personally with up to ten employees, or up to twenty-five if the company has a single workplace, provided they habitually work there and have the necessary capacity; health surveillance is excluded and must be covered another way (Royal Decree 39/1997, Art. 11). In addition, the company analyses possible emergencies and organises first aid, firefighting and evacuation with designated staff (Act 31/1995, Art. 20), and every employee must immediately report any situation they reasonably consider a risk (Art. 29.2.4).
When a contractor or outside technician comes in
The air conditioning technician, the cleaning company or the electrician who comes to replace a distribution board all trigger the coordination of business activities (Act 31/1995, Art. 24). Royal Decree 171/2004 sets out what the company that holds the office has to do:
- Inform them, before they start and whenever things change, of the office's risks that may affect them, how to prevent them and the emergency measures; in writing if the risks are serious or very serious (Art. 7).
- Give instructions on those risks and on what to do in an emergency, if the office's own staff work there (Art. 8).
- Cooperate with every company and self-employed worker present, “existan o no relaciones jurídicas entre ellos” (whether or not there is a legal relationship between them) (Art. 4.1), using whatever coordination means they choose: the list in Art. 11 starts with exchanging information and regular meetings.
If the contracted service belongs to your own core activity, before work starts you must also require the contractor to show in writing its risk assessment and its staff's training (Art. 10.2).
Internal reporting channel from fifty employees
Private-sector individuals and companies with fifty or more employees must have an internal reporting system, the channel under Act 2/2023 for reporting breaches (Art. 10(1)(a)). Below that it is voluntary (Art. 10(2)), except in sectors with their own rules, such as financial services or anti-money-laundering. The preamble speaks of companies with “más de cincuenta trabajadores” (more than fifty employees), but the article prevails: fifty or more.
The right to disconnect
Employees have the right to digital disconnection outside their working hours, so that their rest, leave, holidays and privacy are respected (Organic Act 3/2018, Art. 88(1); Workers' Statute, Art. 20 bis). How it is exercised is set by the collective agreement or, failing that, by agreement with the workers' representatives, and the employer draws up an internal policy after consulting those representatives (Art. 88(3)). For remote work, Act 10/2021 adds that guaranteeing disconnection means limiting the use of the company's communication tools during rest periods (Art. 18(1)).
The building's installations
Three points specific to an office: the ten-yearly fire protection inspection does not apply to administrative use below 2,000 m² built (RIPCI, Art. 22(2)); the electrical installation only has periodic inspections if the office is public-use premises, open to the public with an expected occupancy of more than 50 people, or with capacity for more than 100 (ITC-BT-28); and since 11 October 2026 the national self-protection catalogue no longer includes office buildings by height or occupancy, although each region keeps its own catalogue and may set stricter thresholds.
What the rules do not say
Worth knowing
None of these rules sets how often the premises are checked or within how many hours a fault is fixed. RD 486/1997 asks for “periodic” maintenance and “prompt” correction of anything affecting health and safety, with no deadlines; RD 488/1997 sets no minutes of break; and Act 31/1995 does not say through which channel an employee reports a risk, only that they do so immediately.
The right-to-disconnect policy has no headcount threshold (Art. 88(3) of Organic Act 3/2018), and coordination with contractors only requires writing when the risks are serious or very serious.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature must an office be kept at in Spain?
Between 17 and 27 ºC for sedentary work, under Annex III of Royal Decree 486/1997, with relative humidity of 30 to 70 %. If the office is heated or cooled with conventional energy, the RITE adds an energy-saving limit: heating may not exceed 21 ºC and cooling may not go below 26 ºC (IT 3.8.2). Both rules apply at the same time, because the RITE says its limits are without prejudice to RD 486/1997.
How often must you take breaks from the computer?
Royal Decree 488/1997 sets no minutes and no frequency. It requires the employer to assess the risk of the workstation, taking into account how long the screen is used, and, if there is a risk, to reduce continuous work by alternating tasks or with the necessary breaks (Art. 3.3). How often and how long those breaks are can be set in the collective agreement (Art. 3.4).
Does a small office need a prevention plan?
Yes. Risk assessment and planning are compulsory from the first employee (Act 31/1995, Art. 16). What changes with size is the form: with up to 50 employees and no Annex I activities, the plan, assessment and planning fit into one short document (RD 39/1997, Art. 2.4), and with up to 10 employees, or 25 at a single workplace, the employer can run prevention personally, except for health surveillance (Art. 11).
What do you have to do when an outside technician comes to repair something?
Before they start, tell them about the office's risks that may affect them, how to prevent them and what to do in an emergency, in writing if the risks are serious or very serious (RD 171/2004, Art. 7). If your own staff work in the office, you also have to give them instructions (Art. 8). This is the coordination duty in Art. 24 of Act 31/1995, and it applies in the same way when the person coming in is self-employed.
From how many employees is a whistleblowing channel compulsory?
From fifty. Art. 10(1)(a) of Act 2/2023 requires private-sector individuals and companies “que tengan contratados cincuenta o más trabajadores” (with fifty or more employees) to have an internal reporting system. Below that it is voluntary, except in sectors with their own rules, such as financial services or anti-money-laundering. The preamble says “more than fifty”, but the article prevails.
Does an office need a self-protection plan?
Under national rules, generally not. Since 11 October 2026 the Basic Self-Protection Guideline (Order INT/1068/2026) has applied, and its catalogue no longer includes office buildings by height or occupancy, as Royal Decree 393/2007 did. The regions keep their own catalogues and may require one with their own thresholds. With or without a plan, Act 31/1995 requires the employer to analyse emergencies and prepare for evacuation (Art. 20).
The inspections for this sector, one by one
- Fire protection (RIPCI)RIPCI checks: quarterly by the owner, yearly and five-yearly by the maintenance company, records kept for five years and an inspection every ten years, with its exemptions.
- Thermal installations (RITE)Maintenance company from 5 kW; contract, annual certificate and efficiency inspection every 4 years above 70 kW, with the minimum intervals of table 3.1.
- Lift inspectionWhat ITC AEM 1 (Royal Decree 355/2024) requires of a lift's holder: a contract with a lift maintenance company, monthly servicing, a periodic inspection every 2, 4 or 6 years and deadlines for defects.
- Low-voltage inspectionInspection by an accredited body every 5 years for the premises in ITC-BT-05 (bars, restaurants and hotels always) and every 10 years for residential common areas over 100 kW.
- Self-protection planWho needs a self-protection plan under the Basic Directive in force since 11 October 2026, what it contains, how often it is reviewed and what the regions add.
- LegionellaWhat Royal Decree 487/2022 requires of the holder of business premises: a control plan, hot water temperatures, yearly disinfection, Legionella sampling and records kept for five years.
Rules for other sectors
- Restaurants and barsThe obligations of a restaurant or a bar in Spain: what is specific to the kitchen and the checks on the premises, each with the condition that triggers it, how often it applies and its article.
- GymsA gym: no national law; qualifications, insurance and notices under each region's sports professions act, plus low voltage, Legionella, pool, RIPCI and defibrillator as premises.
- HotelsA hotel: guest register and reporting within 24 hours, regional classification, low voltage and lift as a public-assembly venue, RIPCI, Legionella, pool, kitchen and defibrillator.
- Residents' associationsThe obligations of a Spanish residents' association: upkeep, reserve fund, owners' meeting and administrator under the Horizontal Property Act, building logbook, building inspection and the checks on each communal installation.
- Shops and franchisesA shop: responsible declaration up to 750 m², opening hours, prices, franchises with no register since 2018, complaint forms, accessibility adjustments and the inspections of premises open to the public.
- SchoolsA school: minimum facilities, protocols against violence and a wellbeing coordinator, canteen and menus from April 2026, self-protection and the building inspections.
- Industrial unitsAn industrial unit: fire inspection every five years under the 2025 regulation, chemical storage (APQ), air receivers, work equipment, low voltage, cooling towers and self-protection.