Occupational Health and Safety Management Program Colombia (SG-SST)

The Occupational Health and Safety Management Program Colombia (Programa del Sistema de Gestión de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo — SG-SST) is the mandatory organizational framework required by Book 2, Part 2, Title 4, Chapter 6 of the Decreto Único Reglamentario del Sector Trabajo — Decreto 1072 de 2015 — for all employers operating in Colombia regardless of company size or economic sector. The SG-SST replaced the former Programa de Salud Ocupacional (PSO) mandated by Resolución 1016 de 1989, transitioning Colombia's occupational health and safety management from a program model to a systematic Plan-Do-Check-Act (PHVA — Planear-Hacer-Verificar-Actuar) continuous improvement cycle aligned with the international OHSAS 18001 standard and the subsequent ISO 45001:2018 framework.

Article 2.2.4.6.4 of Decreto 1072 defines the SG-SST as a process composed of policies, objectives, planning, application, evaluation, audit, and improvement actions to anticipate, recognize, evaluate, and control risks that may affect occupational safety and health (seguridad y salud en el trabajo). The SG-SST must be implemented by all employers — empresa unipersonal (sole proprietorship), sociedad anónima simplificada (SAS), sociedad de responsabilidad limitada (Ltda.), empresa industrial y comercial del Estado, and entidades sin ánimo de lucro (ESAL) — and must cover all workers including permanent employees, temporary workers, contractors performing activities on the employer's premises, and apprentices in the practical training phase.

The Ministerio del Trabajo issued Resolución 0312 de 2019 to establish differentiated minimum standards (Estándares Mínimos del SG-SST) based on employer size and risk class, replacing the earlier Resolución 1111 de 2017. Resolución 0312 establishes three compliance levels: (a) employers with 10 or fewer workers in occupational risk classes I and II must comply with 7 minimum standards; (b) employers with 11 to 50 workers in classes I, II, and III must comply with 21 standards; and (c) employers with more than 50 workers or any employer in classes III, IV, or V must comply with the full 60 standards. The Ministerio del Trabajo inspects SG-SST compliance through labor inspectors (inspectores de trabajo) who conduct field visits and documentary reviews, with inspection authority under CST Articles 485 to 487 and Ley 1562 de 2012.

The SG-SST program encompasses a thorough set of occupational health and safety management activities. The hazard identification and risk assessment process (Matriz de Identificación de Peligros y Valoración de Riesgos — IPVR) is the core diagnostic tool, required by Article 2.2.4.6.15 of Decreto 1072, that maps all occupational hazards by work position, evaluates the probability and severity of harm, and prioritizes control measures using the hierarchy of controls (elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment). The ARL is required by Ley 1562 de 2012 to provide technical support to employers for hazard identification and SG-SST implementation.

Residual risk control — measures implemented after primary controls — must be documented in the SG-SST's emergency preparedness and response plan (Plan de Emergencias), which is a mandatory component under Article 2.2.4.6.25 of Decreto 1072. The plan must identify all potential emergency scenarios (fire, explosion, chemical spill, natural disaster, medical emergency), define evacuation routes and assembly points, establish a structure of emergency coordinators (Brigada de Emergencias), and schedule annual emergency drills (simulacros de emergencia) with documented outcomes.

The annual performance cycle of the SG-SST includes: annual occupational risk review update; review of the IPVR matrix for new hazards; review of accident and incident statistics; compliance audit by the ARL or an external auditor; management review (revisión por la alta dirección) as required by Article 2.2.4.6.31 of Decreto 1072; and update of the annual work plan (Plan de Trabajo Anual en SST) identifying corrective actions, responsible persons, resources allocated, and completion deadlines.

The SG-SST Program Colombia is required in the following mandatory circumstances under Decreto 1072 de 2015 and Resolución 0312 de 2019.

All Employers from Day One: Article 2.2.4.6.8 of Decreto 1072 mandates that all employers implement the SG-SST from the commencement of operations, regardless of company size or risk class. There is no grace period for new businesses — the SG-SST minimum standards of Resolución 0312 de 2019 apply from the moment the first worker is hired. ARL inspectors typically visit new enterprises within the first three months to assess SG-SST implementation progress.

ARL Audit Compliance: ARLs are required by Ley 1562 de 2012 to audit their affiliated employers' SG-SST compliance annually and report results to the Ministerio del Trabajo. A documented SG-SST program with current records is the primary evidence of compliance during ARL visits.

Ministerio del Trabajo Inspection: Labor inspectors (inspectores de trabajo) have authority under CST Articles 485-487 to inspect SG-SST compliance at any time. Inspection findings of non-compliance can result in administrative fines under Ley 1562 de 2012 Article 13: up to 500 SMMLV for severe violations, up to 1,000 SMMLV for very severe violations, and temporary closure of the workplace for violations that create immediate life-threatening risk to workers.

Post-Accident Investigation: After any workplace accident, the SG-SST documentation — including the IPVR matrix, emergency procedures, and training records — is reviewed as part of the formal accident investigation (investigación del accidente de trabajo) required by Article 2.2.4.6.33 of Decreto 1072 within 15 days of the accident. The investigation report is submitted to the ARL and must identify root causes, corrective actions, and responsible persons.

Work Permit Applications: Certain high-risk activities in Colombia — construction, mining, handling of hazardous chemicals — require proof of an implemented SG-SST as part of the application for operating licenses (licencias de funcionamiento) from municipal authorities and permits from the Ministerio de Minas y Energía or Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible.

Public Contract Bidding: Government contracting entities under Ley 80 de 1993 and Decreto 1082 de 2015 (SECOP regulations) require bidders to demonstrate SG-SST compliance as a minimum legal requirement. A current SG-SST certificate issued by the ARL is standard documentation in public procurement processes.

A compliant SG-SST Program Colombia under Decreto 1072 de 2015 and Resolución 0312 de 2019 must contain the following core components, proportional to employer size and risk class.

Occupational Safety and Health Policy (Política de SST): A written policy signed by the employer's legal representative, committing to: protect all workers from occupational risks; comply with all applicable legal SST obligations; continuously improve SST performance; consult with workers on SST matters; and allocate adequate resources for SST implementation. The policy must be communicated to all workers and posted visibly in all workplaces. Article 2.2.4.6.5 of Decreto 1072 specifies the minimum content requirements.

Worker Health and Safety Objectives (Objetivos del SG-SST): Measurable objectives derived from the occupational risk assessment, aligned with the SST policy, and tracked through a formal annual work plan (Plan de Trabajo Anual en SST). The Plan must specify: objective, activity, responsible person, completion deadline, resources required, and success indicator.

Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, and Control Matrix (Matriz IPVR): The thorough inventory of all occupational hazards present in the workplace, classified by hazard type (physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, psychosocial, mechanical, electrical, locative, natural phenomena), assessed for risk level, and controlled through the hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls (including safe work procedures and training), and personal protective equipment (EPP). The IPVR matrix must be reviewed annually and after any accident, incident, or significant change in work processes.

Prevention and Promotion Programs: Documented programs addressing the specific risks identified in the IPVR matrix, including: occupational hygiene program (noise monitoring, chemical exposure control); ergonomics program; psychosocial risk program per Resolución 2646 de 2008; annual medical examination program (exámenes médicos ocupacionales — ingreso, periódicos, egreso) required by Resolución 2346 de 2007 of the Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social.

Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan (Plan de Emergencias): A thorough plan covering: identified emergency scenarios; evacuation procedures and routes; assembly points; Brigada de Emergencias structure and training; coordination with local emergency services (Bomberos, Defensa Civil, Cruz Roja); communication protocols; and annual drill schedule and records.

Training and Competence Program: Annual SST training plan covering all workers and topics required by Article 2.2.4.6.11 of Decreto 1072: occupational risk identification; accident reporting procedures; use of personal protective equipment; emergency procedures; rights and obligations under the SG-SST.

Accident and Incident Investigation: Documented procedure for investigating all workplace accidents and near-miss incidents within 15 days, identifying root causes using validated root cause analysis methodologies, and implementing corrective actions tracked to completion.

Internal Audit and Management Review: Annual internal SST audit per Article 2.2.4.6.29 of Decreto 1072; annual management review (revisión por la alta dirección) assessing SG-SST performance against objectives; and documentation of corrective and preventive actions arising from audit and review findings.

Forms-legal.com provides this SG-SST Program Colombia template as a practical compliance framework. All employers should work with their ARL's prevention and promotion team and, where required by Resolución 0312 de 2019, engage a licensed Especialista en Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo (with valid SST license from the Ministerio del Trabajo) to design and implement the SG-SST.

Additional compliance elements for a Occupational Health and Safety Management Program Colombia (SG-SST) used in Colombia include: Under the Codigo Sustantivo del Trabajo (CST), Colombian employment law governs individual and collective labour relations. The Ministerio del Trabajo enforces compliance and issues regulations. The Sistema General de Seguridad Social (EPS, ARL, Fondo de Pensiones) provides health, occupational risk, and pension coverage. The Unidad de Gestion Pensional y Parafiscales (UGPP) audits employer contributions. The Caja de Compensacion Familiar administers family subsidy benefits. Forms-legal.com provides this template as a starting point for Colombia-compliant documentation.