Industrial safety is a concept that reaches beyond rules and standards, touching many parts of daily life. What does it mean to guarantee safety in facilities, equipment, and workplaces? How does it shape our routines, from home to the environments where work takes most of our time? Why is training in this field essential, given its wide reach across many areas?
The week’s breakfast colloquium on Industrial Safety, organized by the Valencian Community’s Council of Industrial Technical Engineers (COGITICOVA) together with INFORMACIÓN, explored these questions in depth. It highlighted how industrial safety affects everyone, from corporations to workers, consumers, and families, even when the topic does not seem urgent at first glance. This discussion drew on the perspectives of Valencia’s industrial sector professionals and was moderated by Carmen Lizán, head of the information department. The event examined current priorities and challenges while unveiling initiatives aimed at ensuring safety and quality in daily life. Industrial safety, it was noted, extends beyond regulatory compliance; it embodies a commitment to protect people, the environment, and society as a whole (Source: INFORMACIÓN).
A broad and practical concept
Discussing industrial safety means looking at a vast field that goes beyond safeguarding buildings and machinery. The term may sound confined to large enterprises, yet it is about preventing accidents in everyday life through careful inspection and maintenance of any installation.
Antonio Martínez-Canales Murcia, president of COGITICOVA, opened the session by explaining that industrial safety involves safeguarding people, goods, and the environment across industrial, commercial, and residential facilities. It is essential for protecting people and the surrounding environment in every facet of life. He also clarified that industrial safety should not be confused with occupational safety, which, while related, has its own specific regulations and focus on the work setting (Source: INFORMACIÓN).
Dissemination and education
A key takeaway from the meeting is that true protection comes when all services and facilities—hospitals, schools, sports venues, hotels, restaurants—meet regulations consistently. Building public understanding is essential, and awareness efforts must precede effective change. Inmaculada García Pardo, general manager of the Valencian Community Business Confederation (CEV), stressed the importance of awareness campaigns, lectures, and conferences conducted with the Generalitat. She highlighted the Valencian Community Industrial Safety Awards, now in its third edition, which showcase exemplary company practices (Source: INFORMACIÓN).
Martínez-Canales Murcia also noted several COGITICOVA initiatives, including safety sessions for university students and programs from industrial area management bodies. He mentioned the SI-CHECK self-diagnosis tool, part of the Ministry of Innovation, Industry and Tourism plan, which enables companies to assess compliance and maintenance status of facilities (Source: INFORMACIÓN).
García Pardo underscored the need to broaden public understanding of industrial safety and to share best practices and compliant business models. José Luis de la Rosa Marqueño, president of ASEIVAL, emphasized presenting safety messages in a constructive way. He also highlighted the importance of education from the school level to cultivate specialists through master’s programs, vocational training, or specialized qualifications (Source: INFORMACIÓN).
Representatives from FEMPA, Jorge Ibáñez Andrés and Luis Mascaró Capdevila, advocated for vocational training and Dual Vocational Training as integral to industrial safety. They argued that VET should not be seen as a fallback option, pointing to high employment rates and strong demand for professionals in the industrial and metal sectors (Source: INFORMACIÓN).
A moment from the safety discussion reconfirmed that industrial safety is about protecting everyday life, not just facilities. INFORMATION
Installation, maintenance, and inspections
Jorge Ibáñez discussed the need for FEMPA to maintain qualified installation and maintenance companies in industrial safety, ensuring workers can operate with safe methods that customers perceive as genuine safety. Compliance with regulations is non-negotiable (Source: INFORMACIÓN).
Luis Mascaró stressed that FEMPA’s affiliated installers and maintainers must meet training and experience standards and carry civil liability insurance. He noted the federation’s role in ensuring market legality and its ongoing fight against the informal economy in installation and maintenance (Source: INFORMACIÓN).
José Luis de la Rosa of ASEIVAL remarked that inspections are crucial for safety, confirming that evaluating facilities’ service life helps ensure safety for people and the environment. Inspections occur within a tightly controlled regulatory framework, with the aim of embedding safety into the organizational culture. Streamlined procedures are supported by cooperation between local authorities and the Generalitat (Source: INFORMACIÓN).
When safety fails
Significant failures in industrial safety have led to serious accidents. Martínez-Canales Murcia cautioned that untrained individuals can cause major problems if given responsible tasks, and control bodies must act and investigate root causes to prevent recurrences (Source: INFORMACIÓN).
García emphasized that the introduction of a dedicated industrial safety manager within companies marks progress, reflecting a level of organizational awareness. The Industry Facilitation Plan has spurred extensive training in this area, and managers must maintain a baseline competence in industrial safety (Source: INFORMACIÓN).
Mascaró and de la Rosa reiterated that a dedicated safety professional helps ensure regulatory compliance. De la Rosa warned that a confusing regulatory landscape requires trained professionals to prevent non-compliance and to ensure that facilities lacking proper compliance are not insured against potential accidents (Source: INFORMACIÓN).
Transparency, agility, and simplification
The conference highlighted the importance of open access to information for all stakeholders. Through the Plan Accelerate initiative, the Ministry of Industry has made facility safety data publicly available via a centralized portal. This transparency assists businesses and enables consumers to verify safety compliance and to check the status of installers and facilities (Source: INFORMACIÓN).
Anyone, including consumers, installers, engineers, designers, or companies, can access this information directly at the Industry Portal of the Generalitat Valenciana. The portal serves as a reliable source to confirm activity and regulatory adherence (Source: INFORMACIÓN).
All information regarding industrial safety
For further details, consult the Industry Portal of the Generalitat Valenciana (Source: INFORMACIÓN).