Families that do not evaluate the occupational risk of their domestic workers are exposed to fines of up to 49,000 euros from this Friday

Starting this Friday, it is mandatory for families who have domestic workers at home to have evaluated the occupational risks they face in their daily work. If they do not do so, they are exposed to sanctions ranging from 2,451 euros in the mildest cases to a maximum of 49,000 when there are aggravating circumstances.

However, Compliance with this obligation has been made difficult by last-minute computer problems. For much of Wednesday and Thursday, the web platform prevencion10.es, which the Ministry of Labor made available to families to evaluate occupational risks, was causing problems. In fact, Less than four hours before the deadline, the website was still not providing service. Official sources from the ministry state that these computer problems will be taken into account when implementing the sanctions, which will be carried out by the Labor Inspection.

From the department directed by Yolanda Díaz They attribute the failure to a “malicious attack” that the service has collapsed, although at first they spoke of overload in the system due to the avalanche of last-minute queries. “No computer attack is going to stop our commitment: domestic workers will have the same guarantees as any working person. In the face of each blocking attempt, more rights and more protection. They will not divert us,” said Díaz in a message published from his account on the BlueSky social network.

The tool is free and has been available to homes since May 24, but many families have waited until the last minute to complete the self-assessment. The platform launched by Trabajo includes a questionnaire with more than 200 points in which the employer is asked about a series of risks and whether they are being adequately prevented. If the prevention of any risk is inadequate, the home must specify how it intends to correct it and set a deadline for this, which will vary depending on the level of danger in question.

The questionnaire takes into account questions such as correct operation of electrical and gas equipment installations; if there are guidelines for preventing situations of violence, harassment or discrimination; if the lighting, temperature in the home and air conditioning are adequate; if possible blows or entrapments, burns, fires are prevented; if the necessary means are granted to the employee, etc.

Once the form has been completed on-line, the application generates a document that it can be downloaded and that the employer has the obligation to keep and send a copy to the domestic worker. The assessment must be repeated periodically and whenever changes in working conditions occur or the workplace is damaged.

A standard approved in 2024

The Ministry of Labor introduced the obligation to evaluate the occupational risks of domestic workers in a decree approved in September of last year in which it regulates the protection of safety and health in home service. Until now, this group was excluded from the occupational risk prevention obligations that companies must comply with. A measure that follows the line of others adopted by Díaz, such as the obligation for these workers to also contribute to Social Security as unemployment benefits.

Beyond the evaluation, the standard recognizes that the cost of the occupational health and safety measures adopted must be borne by the employer. Likewise, it is established that the contracting family must provide the appropriate work equipment or epis if the activity requires it, but always free of charge.

Currently there are 36,643 domestic employees registered with Social Securityaccording to data from the ministry led by Elma Saiz. A figure that has been reduced by 6,000 members in the last six years. Although registration is mandatory for these workers, who have the obligation, there are well-founded suspicions that the underground economy in this sector is common. Data from the INE’s Active Population Survey (EPA), which is compiled through a questionnaire for workers and not an administrative record, indicate that in the third quarter of 2025 there were 539,200 domestic employees.