Training and EPI records: the proof that you informed and protected your people

Contents

• What does the law require?
• Training and information: not the same thing
• EPI: free of charge and with the handover recorded
• Why is the record what matters?
• What risk do you run if you don't have it?
• How Tranquilia generates it
• Frequently asked questions
• Official sources

What does the law require?

The LPRL starts from a simple idea: doing things properly is not enough, you have to be able to prove it. Three obligations meet here:

• Inform each worker of the risks of their job and of the measures in place (art. 18).
• Train them in prevention, in a way suited to their job and kept up to date (art. 19).
• Give them the EPI their work requires, at no cost to them (RD 773/1997).

Of the three, the record is the common proof: complying is of little use if there is no record of it.

Training and information: not the same thing

Art. 18 speaks of information: telling the worker what risks their job carries and how to protect themselves. Art. 19 speaks of training: teaching them to work safely, with theoretical and practical training, within working hours, when they join and when their tasks or the equipment change.

Training has to be repeated when new risks appear; a single talk on the first day does not cover a whole working life.

EPI: free of charge and with the handover recorded

Personal protective equipment (gloves, safety footwear, goggles, masks, harnesses...) is paid for by the company, not by the worker (RD 773/1997). On top of that, you have to choose the EPI suited to the risk, provide training in its use and leave a record of the handover.

That signed handover receipt is what proves you gave them the right equipment and that they knew how to use it.

Why is the record what matters?

Because training and handing over EPI are events that happen and are forgotten, unless they are put in writing. The record sets out who received what training, on what date, and what EPI was given to them and when. It is the difference between "we did train them" and "here is the signature that proves it".

What risk do you run if you don't have it?

Not training, not informing or not handing over the EPI are infringements in the social order which the Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (Spain's labour and social security inspectorate) monitors, and they may be classified as serious. If an accident happens and you cannot prove that you trained the worker or that you gave them the right equipment, liability becomes considerably more severe.

We do not give an exact figure because it depends on the case, but it is one of the things that weigh most after an accident: the lack of proof of training and of EPI handover comes up again and again in the files.

How Tranquilia generates it

Tranquilia leaves you the training and information record and the EPI handover record ready, with the receipt templates ready for each worker to sign. That way the proof builds up from day one, instead of being reconstructed in a rush when somebody asks for it.

Frequently asked questions

Can I deliver the PRL training myself?

It depends on the risk of the job. For simple tasks, the training the company itself organises may be enough; for higher-risk work you need staff with suitable preventive qualifications or a prevention service. In every case, it has to be recorded.

Can I deduct the EPI from wages?

No. Personal protective equipment is paid for by the company. It is an obligatory safety measure, not a cost passed on to the worker.

How long do I keep these records?

For as long as the employment relationship lasts and a reasonable time afterwards, so that you can prove you complied if you are asked, or if a claim arises in connection with an accident or an occupational disease.

Official sources

• BOE — Ley 31/1995 de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales, articles 18 and 19.
• BOE — RD 773/1997 sobre utilización de equipos de protección individual.
• Instituto Nacional de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo (INSST).

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General information about the rules. It does not replace a lawyer's advice or an analysis of your specific case. If you have any doubts, check with your prevention service or with a professional.