What are they?

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a broad group of organic substances that can readily enter the gas phase and be present in the air. Their properties and effects on human health and the environment vary considerably depending on the substance concerned.

For the purposes of Royal Decree 117/2003, a volatile organic compound (VOC) is defined as any organic compound having, at 293.15 K, a vapour pressure of 0.01 kPa or more, or having an equivalent volatility under the particular conditions of use. The definition also includes the fraction of creosote that exceeds this vapour pressure.

VOCs may be present in numerous products used at work, including paints, varnishes, adhesives, inks, cleaning products, degreasers and fuels, and may be released during different industrial processes.

Not all VOCs have the same level of hazard. Some may cause irritation, effects on the nervous system, damage to organs such as the liver or kidneys, sensitisation, effects on reproduction and development, or cancer.

Therefore, the risk should not be assessed solely on the basis that a substance is a VOC, but by taking into account the hazardous properties of each substance and the actual conditions of exposure.

Occupational exposure may occur mainly through inhalation of vapours, but exposure through skin contact and absorption may also occur. The assessment must take into account the hazardous properties of the chemical agent, the quantities used, the type, level and duration of exposure, and the working conditions.

Royal Decree 374/2001, on the protection of the health and safety of workers from risks related to chemical agents at work, establishes the basic principles for assessing and preventing these risks.

VOCs are also environmentally relevant. Certain VOCs, together with nitrogen oxides and in the presence of sunlight, contribute to the formation of tropospheric ozone and other photochemical pollutants.

Official air-emission inventories use, in particular, the category of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs).

Where can they be found?

VOCs may be present in numerous occupational processes and activities, including:

1. manufacture and application of paints, varnishes and coatings;
2. use of adhesives;
3. printing and graphic arts;
4. cleaning and degreasing of parts, machinery and surfaces;
5. wood manufacturing and treatment;
6. manufacture and processing of plastics;
7. chemical industry;
8. footwear manufacturing;
9. vehicle repair and painting;
10. industrial cleaning;
11. use and storage of fuels;
12. manufacture and use of products containing solvents.

VOCs that may be found in certain occupational environments include, among others, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, styrene and certain chlorinated solvents.

The specific substances present depend on the process, the raw materials and products used, and the working conditions.

The Spanish National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (INSST) has documented exposure to VOCs and other organic vapours in different occupational activities, including wood varnishing, the use of adhesives in the footwear industry and certain vehicle painting tasks.

What health effects can they cause?

Health effects depend on the substance, route of exposure, concentration and duration of exposure.

High exposure to certain VOCs may cause acute effects such as:

1. irritation of the eyes, nose and respiratory tract;
2. headache;
3. dizziness and vertigo;
4. drowsiness;
5. nausea;
6. impaired coordination;
7. confusion;
8. skin irritation or damage.

Repeated or prolonged exposure to certain solvents may affect the central and peripheral nervous systems, liver, kidneys, skin and other organs.

Some VOCs are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction. Benzene is one example: it is classified as carcinogenic and is subject to specific protection requirements.

Other VOCs may affect fertility or foetal development. The hazard classification and substance-specific information should therefore always be consulted.

Occupational exposure limits

There is no single occupational exposure limit applicable to all VOCs. Occupational exposure limits must be consulted for each specific substance.

The INSST publishes the Occupational Exposure Limits for Chemical Agents in Spain (LEP) annually. The 2026 edition was approved by the National Commission for Occupational Safety and Health on 30 January 2026. It includes occupational exposure limit values and biological limit values, together with the corresponding updates for certain substances.

Occupational Exposure Limits for Chemical Agents 2026 – INSST

The INSST Occupational Exposure Limits Database (BDLEP) allows users to consult the values applicable to each chemical agent.

Occupational Exposure Limits Database – INSST

Pregnancy, fertility and breastfeeding

Risk assessment must pay particular attention to substances that may affect fertility, pregnancy or development.

Some VOCs and solvents may pose reproductive or developmental hazards. Where there is pregnancy, recent childbirth or breastfeeding, the exposure conditions must be specifically assessed and the necessary preventive measures adopted.

Protection should be based on eliminating or reducing exposure and, where necessary, temporarily adapting or changing working conditions.

It is also important to incorporate a gender perspective into risk assessment. Exposures may be related to the different distribution of tasks between women and men, and certain jobs involving exposure to solvents may be more highly feminised.

In addition, where there are relevant biological differences between women and men in relation to the effects of a substance, these should be taken into account in risk assessment and preventive measures.

Point-source and fugitive emissions

Two types of emissions can be distinguished at industrial facilities:

Point-source or channelled emissions: emissions released through a defined emission point, such as a chimney or duct.

Fugitive emissions: emissions that are not channelled through a specific emission point. They may result from evaporation, leaks, spills, transfers, storage, handling of products or emissions that are not captured during processes.

Royal Decree 117/2003 covers fugitive emissions and waste gases and establishes specific requirements for facilities and activities falling within its scope.

Royal Decree 117/2003 – BOE, consolidated text

Fugitive emissions are particularly relevant from an occupational health perspective because they may increase exposure among people working close to emission sources.

What can be done?

Identify the VOCs present

Workers and their representatives should be able to find out:

1. which VOCs are present in the products used;
2. which products contain solvents;
3. what quantities are used and stored;
4. during which operations they may be released;
5. which jobs and workers may be exposed;
6. which routes of exposure are involved;
7. what ventilation and local exhaust systems are available;
8. what results have been obtained from exposure measurements;
9. which occupational exposure limits apply to each substance;
10. what measures have been adopted to eliminate or reduce exposure.

Information should be obtained, among other sources, from labels, safety data sheets, risk assessments, exposure measurements and working procedures.

Assess exposure

The risk assessment should include all activities in which exposure may occur, including:

1. routine use of products;
2. preparation and mixing;
3. transfers;
4. cleaning;
5. maintenance;
6. repair;
7. storage;
8. waste management;
9. start-up and shutdown operations;
10. leaks and spills;
11. accidental situations.

Particular attention should be paid to short-duration tasks involving high concentrations and to situations in which fugitive emissions occur.

Prioritise elimination and substitution

The first preventive option should be to eliminate the use of the hazardous VOC whenever possible.

Where elimination is not possible, substitution with another less hazardous substance, mixture, product or process should be considered.

Substitution is particularly important when carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic-to-reproduction substances are used.

Royal Decree 117/2003 establishes specific requirements for certain substances or mixtures containing VOCs classified with specific hazard statements and provides for their substitution with less hazardous substances or mixtures where possible.

Royal Decree 117/2003 – BOE, consolidated text

Apply technical and organisational measures

Where it is not possible to eliminate or substitute the VOC, collective protective measures should be prioritised:

1. use closed or enclosed processes;
2. install local exhaust ventilation at the emission source;
3. ensure adequate general ventilation;
4. use vapour recovery or treatment systems where appropriate;
5. keep containers and tanks closed;
6. prevent and control leaks and spills;
7. use safe transfer systems;
8. reduce the quantities used;
9. automate processes where possible;
10. ensure appropriate maintenance of equipment;
11. establish safe working procedures;
12. limit the number of people exposed;
13. reduce exposure time where necessary.

Personal protective equipment, including respiratory protection, should be used as a complementary measure where collective measures are insufficient or during certain operations.

Environmental obligations related to VOC emissions

Royal Decree 117/2003 applies to certain facilities and activities using organic solvents above the thresholds established within its scope.

Its purpose is to prevent or reduce the direct or indirect effects of VOC emissions on the environment and risks to human health.

Royal Decree 117/2003 – BOE, consolidated text

Facilities falling within its scope must, as applicable:

1. comply with the established emission limit values;
2. comply with requirements relating to fugitive emissions;
3. apply an emission-reduction system where applicable;
4. adopt measures to minimise emissions during start-up and shutdown;
5. monitor emissions;
6. provide information to the competent authority;
7. demonstrate compliance with the applicable values and requirements;
8. prepare and maintain solvent management plans where required.

Royal Decree 117/2003 also establishes specific requirements for certain VOCs classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction.

Integrated pollution prevention and control

Facilities subject to the integrated pollution prevention and control regime are governed by Royal Legislative Decree 1/2016, approving the consolidated text of the Law on integrated pollution prevention and control.

Royal Legislative Decree 1/2016 – BOE

The former Law 16/2002 should not be retained as current legislation in RISCTOX, as it was replaced by this consolidated legislative text.

Information and participation of workers

Workers and their representatives should participate in identifying and preventing risks arising from exposure to VOCs.

They may request information about:

1. the products and substances used;
2. safety data sheets;
3. risk assessments;
4. exposure measurements;
5. preventive and protective measures;
6. environmental emissions;
7. capture and treatment systems;
8. monitoring results;
9. alternatives available for substituting hazardous substances.

Prevention should be addressed in an integrated way, taking into account both workers' health and environmental impacts.

Classification

VOCs do not constitute a single substance or a homogeneous toxicological category.

Once a substance has been identified as a VOC, the specific information for that substance should be consulted regarding:

1. health hazards;
2. environmental hazards;
3. classification and labelling;
4. carcinogenic, mutagenic or reproductive toxicity properties;
5. occupational exposure limits;
6. biological limit values, where applicable;
7. restrictions or specific requirements for use;
8. substitution possibilities.

Being classified as a VOC does not, in itself, mean that a substance has a particular level of hazard. Its hazards must be determined for each individual substance on the basis of current scientific and regulatory information.

Legislation

1. Royal Decree 117/2003 of 31 January, on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain activities. BOE – Royal Decree 117/2003, consolidated text
2. Royal Decree 374/2001 of 6 April, on the protection of the health and safety of workers against risks related to chemical agents at work. BOE – Royal Decree 374/2001, consolidated text
3. Royal Decree 665/1997 of 12 May, on the protection of workers against risks related to exposure to carcinogens, mutagens or substances toxic to reproduction at work, in its current version. BOE – Royal Decree 665/1997, consolidated text
4. Law 31/1995 of 8 November, on Occupational Risk Prevention. BOE – Law 31/1995
5. Royal Decree 39/1997 of 17 January, approving the Regulation on Prevention Services. BOE – Royal Decree 39/1997
6. Royal Legislative Decree 1/2016 of 16 December, approving the consolidated text of the Law on integrated pollution prevention and control. BOE – Royal Legislative Decree 1/2016
7. Royal Decree 815/2013 of 18 October, approving the Regulation on industrial emissions and implementing the legislation on integrated pollution prevention and control. BOE – Royal Decree 815/2013

Official references

1. INSST. Occupational Exposure Limits for Chemical Agents in Spain 2026. Document approved by the National Commission for Occupational Safety and Health on 30 January 2026.
2. LEP 2026 – INSST
3. INSST. Occupational Exposure Limits Database (BDLEP). Consultation of occupational exposure limit and biological limit values applicable to individual chemical agents.
4. BDLEP – INSST
5. INSST. Toxicological documentation for the establishment of occupational exposure limits. Information on critical effects and the toxicological basis of occupational exposure limits.
6. Toxicological documentation – INSST
7. MITECO. National Air Pollutant Emissions Inventory. Official information on atmospheric emissions, including non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs).
8. National Air Pollutant Emissions Inventory – MITECO

Complementary material for workers

The following ISTAS publications are retained as complementary practical and trade-union-oriented material. They do not constitute current legislation and should be used to support risk identification, participation and preventive action.

1. Guide for the prevention of chemical risk in the workplace. Guide for intervention. ISTAS, 2004. Provides tools for identifying chemical risk situations, prioritising actions and promoting preventive measures, integrating occupational health and environmental considerations.
2. Guide for the prevention of chemical risk – ISTAS
3. Substitution of hazardous solvents. Guide for health and safety representatives. ISTAS, 2007. Particularly useful for promoting the substitution of hazardous solvents and assessing lower-risk alternatives.
4. Guide to the substitution of hazardous solvents – ISTAS
5. Guide for the substitution of hazardous substances in companies. ISTAS. Practical material for promoting the substitution of hazardous substances.
6. Guide for the substitution of hazardous substances – ISTAS
7. Guide to emissions management and control. ISTAS. Practical material on air pollutants, VOC emissions, companies' environmental obligations and worker participation.
8. Guide to emissions management and control – ISTAS
9. Publications and awareness-raising materials on chemical risk. ISTAS. Collection of guides and materials relating to chemical risk prevention and the substitution of hazardous substances.
10. Chemical risk prevention materials – ISTAS