Occupational health policies in Spain: problems, actions and priorities

We present a review of current Spanish occupational health policy and its ability to respond to new occupational health challenges First, we describe the main features of the Spanish labour market structure and labour market participation. Next, we identify its major occupational health policy needs both in terms of traditional occupational diseases and injuries as well as in terms of emergent workplace hazards such as precarious arrangements and workplace inequalities. In addition, we review some occupational health policy successes but we also identify substantial areas that have yet to be addressed presenting the main interventions taken from legislative perspective and research, and the main actions and perspectives of key players in this process, namely, labour unions, employers and administrators. Finally, we point out key occupational health policy challenges that might have to be overcome to improve health at work among Spanish workers.