The Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism has recently published the Royal Decree 298/2021, on 27 April, whose objective is to update the industrial safety regulations in Spain regarding the competences of professionals in this sector, so that the requirements enabling a professional to exercise his/her activity conform to criteria of non-discrimination, justification, proportionality, clarity, objectivity, advertising , transparency and accessibility.

Therefore, the royal decree establishes that professionals of different profiles related to industrial safety can turn to, among other alternatives, the ENAC-accredited certification of persons to demonstrate their competence to perform the activities required in their jobs. In particular, the royal decree harmonizes the way of referring to the accredited certification in the profiles in which this option was already present, such as:

• Low voltage installer
• High voltage lines and installations installers
• Tower crane and self-propelled mobile crane operator
• Liquid Petroleum Products Installer or Repairer (PPL)
• Gaseous fuel installations installer
• Elevator conservator
• Fire protection equipment and systems installer and maintainer

The text also introduces for the first time, accredited certification as a means of accessing recognition, in the fields of high voltage (lines and installations), low voltage and lifting devices (both cranes and elevators).

 

Tool at the service of the labour market and the Public Administration

This royal decree demonstrates, once again, the trust placed by the Public Administrations in the accredited certification of persons, a tool that enables them to ensure that certain activities such as installation, repair, conservation or maintenance are carried out by professionals who have demonstrated to a third party – the accredited certifier – that they have the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for carrying out their functions and tasks.