The National Institute of Safety and Health at Work (Instituto Nacional de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo (INSST)), founded in 1978, is the specialised scientific and technical institute in the field of OSH under the Ministry of Employment and Social Security. INSST comprises four National Centres, each one specialised in different fields of OSH research.
The mission of INSST is the analysis and study of the health and safety conditions in the workplace, as well as their promotion and provide support for their improvement. To meet its objectives, it establishes the necessary cooperation with bodies of the Autonomous Communities (regions) and the State Administration involved with health and safety at work, as well as with social partners.

The INSST has, among others, the following functions:

• Concerning research, its primary mission is to analyse and study health and safety conditions at work, in order to determine the causes of occupational illnesses and injuries, and to recognise new and emerging occupational hazards to be able to prevent them. The INSST also promotes and coordinates a health and safety at work research network of public institutes.
• To provide the required specialised and differentiated technical support to public bodies, employers and employees organisations, as well as the necessary technical assistance in developing legal and technical regulations on the prevention of occupational risks, at both national and international level.
• To promote awareness of occupational risk prevention, acting as a driving force, and carrying out training, information, research, study and dissemination activities in the field of occupational risk prevention.
• To promote and support the integration of OSH training in all programs and educational levels, actively participating in specialised training in this field and developing support elements, training materials, and specialised documentation.

At the international level, the INSST collaborates with Governments and Institutions of other countries in the development of health and safety at work, and forms part of different European specialised networks – among others is the National Reference Centre for Institutions of the European Union.
In addition to those already mentioned, the functions of the INSST are any others which may be necessary for the achievement of its end goals and which may be assigned to it within the scope of its competencies.