In any workplace (Royal Decree 486/1997)
- Openings or changes of level with a risk of falling are protected with guardrails or an equivalent system.
- In particular, floor openings, wall openings and platforms and loading docks; the last two are not required if the fall is less than 2 metres.
- The open sides of stairs and ramps over 60 cm high.
- Guardrails are made of rigid materials, at least 90 cm high, with protection that stops people passing or sliding underneath or objects falling.
On construction sites (Royal Decree 1627/1997)
Platforms, scaffolds, walkways, holes and openings with a fall risk of more than 2 metres have a guardrail or other collective protection. The guardrail is sturdy, at least 90 cm high, with a toe board, top rail and intermediate rail. Its condition is checked before use, periodically and after any change.
In practiceA lift shaft opening in a floor slab covered only with a loose board is not
protected: it needs a fixed protection that cannot be moved by accident.
Source: Real Decreto 486/1997, lugares de trabajo (workplaces, in Spanish), annex I, point 3 · Real Decreto 1627/1997, obras de construcción (construction sites, in Spanish), annex IV, part C, point 3