ARL Occupational Disease Benefits Request Colombia

The ARL Occupational Disease Benefits Request Colombia (Solicitud de Prestaciones ARL por Enfermedad Laboral) is the formal written petition that a worker submits to their Administradora de Riesgos Laborales (ARL) to obtain recognition of benefits arising from an occupational disease (enfermedad laboral) — a health condition caused, aggravated, or accelerated by work-related exposure to risk factors present in the work environment. Colombia's occupational disease framework is governed by Ley 1562 de 2012 and the Tabla de Enfermedades Laborales established by Decreto 1477 de 2014, which lists the occupational diseases recognized under Colombian law and their associated work activities and exposure factors.

Article 4 of Ley 1562 de 2012 defines enfermedad laboral as any disease contracted as a result of exposure to risk factors inherent to the work activity or the work environment in which the worker operates. The Tabla de Enfermedades Laborales of Decreto 1477 de 2014 establishes two groups of occupational diseases: Group I contains diseases with a direct presumption of occupational origin when the worker performs the listed activities and is exposed to the listed agents — no additional proof of causation is required; Group II contains open-ended diseases where occupational origin must be demonstrated through medical and occupational hygiene evidence.

The ARL benefit system for occupational diseases mirrors the system for workplace accidents: all medical and rehabilitation benefits under Article 5 of Ley 776 de 2002 are provided without cost to the worker; incapacidad temporal payments at 100% of the IBC apply for up to 180 days (extendable to 540 days); incapacidad permanente parcial (IPP) lump sums apply for PCL 5%-49.99%; and a full monthly disability pension applies for PCL ≥ 50%. The critical difference from workplace accident claims is that occupational diseases develop progressively — the fecha de diagnóstico, fecha de estructuración, and the demonstration of exposure-causation link require more extensive medical and occupational hygiene documentation than acute accident cases.

The Sistema de Gestión de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo (SG-SST) — mandated by Decreto 1072 de 2015 and implementing Resolución 0312 de 2019 — requires employers to identify occupational disease risk factors, implement preventive controls, and monitor workers' health through periodic occupational medical examinations (exámenes médicos ocupacionales periódicos). Workers with suspected occupational diseases should reference their employer's SG-SST hazard register (panorama de factores de riesgo) and any prior occupational medical examination results as supporting evidence for their ARL claim.

The FUREP (Formulario Único de Reporte de Enfermedades Profesionales) is the mandatory disease reporting form that the employer and the EPS (Entidad Promotora de Salud) must file with the ARL upon diagnosis or reasonable suspicion of an occupational disease, under Decreto 1072 de 2015. The ARL conducts an investigation to determine the occupational origin, reviewing the worker's exposure history, the employer's SG-SST records, and the Tabla de Enfermedades Laborales. If the ARL disputes the occupational origin, the Junta Regional de Calificación de Invalidez makes the binding determination under Decreto 1352 de 2013.

Forms-legal.com provides this ARL Occupational Disease Benefits Request as a reference template for workers and occupational health professionals. All claims must be submitted directly to the ARL with complete medical and occupational hygiene documentation.

The ARL Occupational Disease Benefits Request Colombia must be filed in the following circumstances under Ley 1562 de 2012, Decreto 1477 de 2014, and Decreto 1072 de 2015.

Diagnosis of a Listed Occupational Disease (Grupo I): When a worker performing activities listed in the Tabla de Enfermedades Laborales (Decreto 1477 de 2014, Grupo I) is diagnosed with a corresponding disease — for example, hearing loss (hipoacusia neurosensorial) in workers exposed to noise above 85 dB, lumbar disc disease in workers with manual material handling, or musculoskeletal disorders in workers with repetitive motion tasks — the occupational origin is legally presumed without additional causation proof. The worker files this request upon diagnosis to initiate ARL coverage and benefits.

Occupational Disease with Demonstrated Causation (Grupo II): When a worker develops a disease not listed in Grupo I of the Tabla but demonstrates through medical and occupational hygiene evidence that the disease was caused or significantly aggravated by work-related exposure, the worker files this request for the ARL to investigate and recognize the occupational origin. The investigation involves review of the employer's SG-SST hazard register, industrial hygiene measurements, and expert medical opinions.

Pre-Existing Condition Aggravated by Work: When a pre-existing common illness is significantly aggravated by occupational exposure — for example, pre-existing osteoarthritis worsened by occupational vibration exposure — the worker may claim partial recognition of benefits proportional to the occupational contribution to the disease progression, as established by Article 4 of Ley 1562 de 2012.

After Maximum Temporary Disability (180 Days): When the worker has been on ARL-covered incapacidad temporal for 180 days for an occupational disease and remains unable to return to full work capacity, this request initiates the formal PCL qualification process before the Junta Regional de Calificación de Invalidez to determine whether IPP indemnification or full disability pension applies.

Employer SG-SST Negligence Cases: When the occupational disease was caused or aggravated by the employer's failure to implement required SG-SST controls under Decreto 1072 de 2015 and Resolución 0312 de 2019, the worker may claim both ARL benefits and additional employer-fault damages (daños por culpa patronal) under Article 12 of Decreto Ley 1295 de 1994 before the Juzgado Laboral del Circuito.

A complete ARL Occupational Disease Benefits Request Colombia under Ley 1562 de 2012 and Decreto 1477 de 2014 must include the following essential elements.

Worker Identification: Full legal name, cédula de ciudadanía number, date of birth, job title (cargo), years in the position, home address, and contact information. The specific job title and the duration of exposure to the occupational risk factor are critical for establishing the causation link to the occupational disease.

Employer Information and ARL Details: Employer legal name (razón social), NIT, business address, CIIU code, risk class (clase de riesgo I-V), and the ARL's name and policy number. This information is cross-referenced with the employer's ARL affiliation records and the PILA contribution history.

Disease Description and Diagnosis: Official medical diagnosis with ICD-10 classification codes; the name of the disease as listed in the Tabla de Enfermedades Laborales (Decreto 1477 de 2014) if applicable to Grupo I; the date of initial symptoms; the date of definitive diagnosis by a treating physician; and a description of the clinical progression of the disease.

Occupational Exposure Evidence: A detailed description of the occupational risk factors to which the worker was exposed, cross-referenced with the employer's SG-SST hazard register (panorama de factores de riesgo); industrial hygiene measurement reports (mediciones higiénicas) documenting exposure levels to noise, chemicals, ergonomic loads, or other agents; results of periodic occupational medical examinations (exámenes médicos ocupacionales) showing the progressive development of the condition; and the duration and intensity of occupational exposure.

Medical Documentation: Full medical records including specialist opinions (occupational physician, orthopedist, audiologist, pulmonologist, or other relevant specialty); occupational medicine reports linking the diagnosis to work-related exposure; and rehabilitation records documenting the functional impact on work capacity.

FUREP Reference: The FUREP (Formulario Único de Reporte de Enfermedades Profesionales) number filed by the employer or EPS with the ARL upon diagnosis or reasonable suspicion of an occupational disease, as required by Decreto 1072 de 2015.

Benefit Requested: Clear specification of the ARL benefits being claimed — medical and rehabilitation coverage continuation; incapacidad temporal daily payments; IPP lump-sum indemnification (for PCL 5%-49.99%); or full disability pension (for PCL ≥ 50%) — with the legal basis under Ley 776 de 2002 for each benefit requested.

Forms-legal.com provides this ARL Occupational Disease Benefits Request as a reference template to help Colombian workers and occupational health professionals structure their claims under the Sistema General de Riesgos Laborales.

Additional compliance elements for a ARL Occupational Disease Benefits Request Colombia used in Colombia include: Under the Constitucion Politica de 1991, Colombian administrative law governs government procedures. The DIAN administers tax declarations (RUT, IVA, Renta, Retencion). The Codigo de Procedimiento Administrativo (CPACA, Ley 1437 de 2011) governs administrative proceedings. The Accion de Tutela (art. 86) protects fundamental rights through the Corte Constitucional. The Defensoria del Pueblo assists citizens. Forms-legal.com provides this template as a starting point for Colombia-compliant documentation.