The Madrid Municipal Police has been investigating work-related accidents in the capital for more than 15 years and prosecuting crimes against workers' rights.
It is the only body in all of Spain that has an occupational accident group with the power to investigate this type of convoluted accident
and act as the Judicial Police in these events thanks to the pioneering agreement that the Madrid City Council maintains with the Superior Court of Justice and the Dean's Office. from Madrid.
In the last five years they have charged 105 employers and have been involved in 4,278 accidents at work.
60% of the cases they investigate end up in a criminal trial.
Last year the agents
acted in 893 work accidents
, with a result of three deaths, 240 serious injuries and 694 minor injuries.
In other words, in 2021 they carried out more than two reports each day in the capital for work-related accidents, the majority in the service sector.
According to the statistical data of the Municipal Police,
in the year 2020 when the pandemic began, work mishaps were reduced
to 610, the slightly injured were 298 and the seriously injured 147. However, the number of deaths in 2020 was higher , with four fatalities.
The multidisciplinary team for occupational accidents within the Municipal Police is called the Occupational Accidents Group and is
integrated into the Judicial Police Investigation and Coordination Unit,
to which 105 components belong, led by Mayor Jesús María García Cortijo.
Of that number, a total of 25 agents are dedicated exclusively to workplace accidents.
15 years of history
Throughout these 15 years of journey, the GSL has been acquiring a greater degree of specialization.
The agents have been trained in
occupational risk prevention and some of them are technicians and experts
trained in the matter.
They work side by side with the Regional Institute of Safety at Work and with the National Construction Association and carry out periodic courses with private companies and institutions outside the Municipal Police.
One of the keys to the success of the Occupational Accidents Group is
coordination with the Madrid Prosecutor's Office and the Occupational Accidents Prosecutor's Office
, with which they collaborate in each of the reports they instruct.
Every time there is an accident at work, the Municipal Police go to the scene.
"Depending on the severity, the Occupational Accident Group is activated," explains the Cortijo mayor.
“If it is a minor crime, a patrol makes a report that is then sent to us.
If it is serious, the Ocular Inspection Scientific Police Group and the GSL already travel
to make a report on what happened in order to prevent the evidence of the crime from disappearing, "adds Cortijo.
The visual inspection agents make the accident report.
Collect and fix existing evidence.
They photograph and videotape the situation before the evidence that judges and prosecutors need to criminally prosecute those responsible, by action or omission, for the mishap, if any, disappears.
For the most complicated investigations,
they have drones at their disposal that have been used in the collapses of Martínez Campos and in the Ritz Hotel
.
"The performance they give is very good, since many times we have to enter confined spaces or where there is a risk," says Cortijo.
Intervention of a Municipal Police in a labor accident in the capital.
In the visual inspection it is determined if it is an accident due to violent or accidental causes.
"When we talk about a violent cause, it does not mean that they have pushed him, but that it has been motivated by a lack of security measures," the mayor clarifies.
The ocular inspection group also has
computer equipment to prepare infographics and graphic reconstructions
of how the incident occurred.
At the scene of the accident, the Police always collect data from the workers, operating license, insurance policies, information on the company and the companies involved, and question witnesses.
«The crowded complex is made that is going to be sent to the court and they incorporate the technical report of the ocular inspection group.
The instruction is carried out in an average time of between two and three months
and includes the conclusions of what happened, the causes and who are the alleged perpetrators.
If there is a deceased, the report is sent to the court and if there is no deceased, it is sent to the Prosecutor's Office, which formulates the accusation and sends it to the court, "explains Cortijo.
Some of the most relevant investigations carried out by the group in 2021 were the cases of asbestos in the Metro, the complaints about deficiencies in the masks of the Summa doctors or the attack by a gorilla on a Zoo employee.
Due to the work of the occupational accident group,
fatal accidents have dropped considerably in the capital.
"The first year of operation of the unit there were 165 deaths at work in Madrid and 165,000 injured, nothing to do with what is happening now," recalls Cortijo.
"It is true that we continue to find pirate businessmen, but there is greater awareness on the part of all the actors and the comprehensive safety of the worker has greatly improved," details the mayor.
Some of the most important investigations carried out by the group in 2021 have been those related to cases of asbestos in the Metro, complaints about deficiencies in the masks of Summa doctors or
the attack of a gorilla on a Zoo employee
.
They have even investigated some work accidents of people who died from consequences left by Covid, such as that of a cleaner in a building who died of a thrombus on her first day back at work after passing the coronavirus.
Thanks to the excellent reports presented by the Work Accident Group,
practically all lawsuits in Madrid for work accidents end in a
conviction in court by the lawyers of the employer who sits in court.
"The statements are very well tied and in the end the lawyers know that it is better to reach an agreement," says one of the policemen.
"The companies know that now if there is a serious accident there is an exhaustive investigation by the Judicial Police," one of the policemen from the unit points out with satisfaction.
The agents of the GSL have noticed in recent months
an increase in work accidents as a result of the multiple reforms that are carried out in flats in the city
.
"There is a lack of qualified labor in construction and that causes more accidents, in addition, many of the workers in smaller works are people without contracts. In large works there are fewer accidents, since great prevention work is done there," he says. another cop.
They have also noticed that accidents due to teleworking have increased.
"We have to face these new cases and be prepared for other possible crimes against the rights of workers," stresses one of the agents.
An agent from the Ocular Inspection Judicial Police group preparing an infographic of an accident.
Conforms to The Trust Project criteria
Know more
Coronavirus
Ritz Hotel
Covid-19 "Why is there such a rush now? In short, for the remainder of the course, for a few months it is not worth removing the mask"
Covid-19Health will eliminate quarantines and limit the use of anti-Covid tests to medical prescription
HealthThe Community of Madrid is already vaccinating people over 65 against herpes zoster
See links of interest
Last News
What
Work calendar 2022
Work calendar Madrid 2022
Indonesian Grand Prix live
Venice - Sampdoria
Real Madrid - BAXI Manresa
Spanish - Majorca
Amorebieta - Alcorcon