Here is the ergonomics legislation from
Colombia
The information here was collated from official online sources by Ergo Global ergonomists. All information is for general purposes and cannot be considered 1-to-1 legal advice. Ergo Global disclaim any liability relating to the information provided on this page.
To Note
Colombia does not have a single “ergonomics act,” but ergonomics regulation is integrated into its Decree 1072 of 2015.
Page last updated: 13/05/2026
The Duties of
The Employer
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Chapter 6, Article 2.2.4.6.8 - Employer Obligations
The employer is obligated to protect the safety and health of workers, in accordance with current regulations. Within the Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) in the company, the employer will have, among others, the following obligations:
(1) Policy Distribution - Define, sign and disseminate the Occupational Health and Safety policy through a written document. The employer must subscribe to the company's occupational health and safety policy, which should provide a framework for establishing and reviewing occupational health and safety objectives.
(2) Assignment and Communication of Responsibilities - You must assign, document and communicate specific responsibilities in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) to all levels of the organization, including senior management.
(3) Internal Accountability - Those to whom responsibilities have been delegated within the Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) are obligated to provide internal accountability regarding their performance. This accountability may be provided through written, electronic, verbal, or any other means deemed appropriate by those responsible. Accountability will be provided at least annually and must be documented.
(4) Definition of Resources - You must define and allocate the financial, technical and personnel resources necessary for the design, implementation, review, evaluation and improvement of prevention and control measures, for the effective management of hazards and risks in the workplace and also, so that those responsible for occupational safety and health in the company, the Joint Committee or Occupational Safety and Health Watchman as appropriate, can satisfactorily fulfill their functions.
(5) Compliance with Applicable Regulatory Requirements - You must ensure that you operate in compliance with current national regulations applicable to occupational safety and health, in harmony with the minimum standards of the Mandatory Quality Assurance System of the General System of Occupational Risks referred to in Article 14 of Law 1562 of 2012.
(6) Hazard and Risk Management - You must adopt effective provisions to develop measures for hazard identification, risk assessment and evaluation, and the establishment of controls that prevent damage to the health of workers and/or contractors, and to equipment and facilities.
(7) Annual Work Plan in OSH - You must design and develop an annual work plan to achieve each of the objectives proposed in the Occupational Safety and Health Management System (SG-SST), which must clearly identify goals, responsibilities, resources and schedule of activities, in accordance with the minimum standards of the Mandatory Quality Assurance System of the General System of Occupational Risks.
(8) Prevention and Promotion of Occupational Risks - The employer must implement and develop activities for the prevention of work accidents and occupational diseases, as well as the promotion of health in the Occupational Safety and Health Management System (SG-SST), in accordance with current regulations.
(9) Worker Participation - It must ensure the adoption of effective measures that guarantee the participation of all workers and their representatives before the Joint Committee or Safety and Health at Work Watch, in the execution of the policy and also that the latter function and have the time and other necessary resources, in accordance with the current regulations that are applicable to them. Likewise, the employer must inform the workers and/or contractors, their representatives before the Joint Committee or the Safety and Health at Work Watchman, as appropriate in accordance with current regulations, about the development of all stages of the Occupational Safety and Health Management System (SG-SST) and must also evaluate the recommendations issued by them for the improvement of the SG-SST. The employer must guarantee the training of workers in the aspects of safety and health at work according to the characteristics of the company, the identification of hazards, the evaluation and assessment of risks related to their work, including provisions relating to emergency situations, within the working day of the direct workers or in the development of the provision of the service of the contractors;
(10) Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Management in Companies - Companies must guarantee the availability of personnel responsible for occupational safety and health, whose profile must be in accordance with current regulations and the minimum standards determined for this purpose by the Ministry of Labor, who must, among other things:
10.1 - Plan, organize, direct, develop and apply the Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS), and at least once (1) a year, carry out its evaluation;
10.2 - Report to senior management on the operation and results of the Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS);
10.3 - Promote the participation of all members of the company in the implementation of the Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS); and
(11) Integration - The employer must involve the aspects of Occupational Safety and Health in the set of management systems, processes, procedures and decisions in the company. -
Article 2.2.4.6.11 - Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Training
(1) Necessary Requirements - The employer or contractor must define the occupational safety and health knowledge and practice requirements necessary for its workers.
(2) Compliance - It must also adopt and maintain provisions to ensure that workers comply with these requirements in all aspects of performing their duties and obligations, in order to prevent workplace accidents and occupational illnesses.
(3) Risk Assessment - To this end, it must develop a training program that provides the knowledge to identify hazards and control work-related risks. This program must be extended to all levels of the organization, including employees, contractors, cooperative workers, and temporary workers. The program must be documented and delivered by qualified personnel in accordance with current regulations.
(4) Program Review - The occupational safety and health training program - OSH, must be reviewed at least once (1) a year, with the participation of the Joint Committee or Occupational Safety and Health Watchman and the company's senior management: in order to identify improvement actions.
(5) Training Induction - The employer shall provide every worker who enters the company for the first time, regardless of their form of contract and relationship and prior to the start of their work, an induction in the general and specific aspects of the activities to be carried out, which includes among others, the identification and control of hazards and risks in their work and the prevention of work accidents and occupational diseases. -
Article 2.2.4.6.15 - Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Evaluation
(1) Work Covered - The employer or contractor must apply a systematic methodology that covers all internal and external routine and non-routine processes and activities, machinery and equipment, all work centers and all workers regardless of their form of contract and relationship, allowing them to identify hazards and assess risks to occupational safety and health, in order to prioritize them and establish the necessary controls, carrying out environmental measurements when required.
(2) Legislation - Risk factor scenarios will be understood as hazard identification, risk assessment and evaluation.
PARAGRAPH 1 - Hazard identification and risk assessment must be carried out by the employer or contractor with the participation and commitment of all levels of the company. It must be documented and updated at least annually. It must also be updated whenever a fatal work accident or catastrophic event occurs in the company or when changes occur in processes, facilities, machinery or equipment.
PARAGRAPH 2 - In accordance with the nature of the hazards, the prioritization carried out and the economic activity of the company, the employer or contractor will use additional methodologies to complement the risk assessment in occupational safety and health in the face of hazards of physical, ergonomic or biomechanical, biological, chemical, security, public, psychosocial origin, among others. When potentially carcinogenic agents are involved in the production process, they should be considered as a priority, regardless of their dose and level of exposure.
PARAGRAPH 3 - The employer must inform the Joint Committee or Safety and Health at Work Monitor about the results of the work environment assessments so that they can issue the appropriate recommendations.
PARAGRAPH 4 - The Occupational Health and Safety Management System must identify and relate the workers who are permanently engaged in the high-risk activities referred to in Decree 2090 of 2003, or the standard that modifies or replaces it.
The Duties of
The Employer
🏠 for Remote Work
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Article 2.2.1.5.8. Obligations of the Parties in the Development of Teleworking
The employer has the following obligations in the development of teleworking:
(1.1) Form Completion -Complete the form adopted for the development of teleworking, provided by the Occupational Risk Administrator.
(1.2) Inform the Administrator Inform the Occupational Risk Administrator of the chosen teleworking arrangement. In the case of supplementary and self-employed teleworking, inform them of the location chosen for performing the duties, as well as any changes to it. In the case of mobile teleworking, inform them of the conditions under which the contracted work will be performed. For any teleworking arrangement, the employer will indicate the applicable weekly working hours, the risk class corresponding to the tasks performed, and the risk class corresponding to the company, entity, or workplace
(1.3) Policy Inclusion - Include teleworking in your methodology for the identification, evaluation, assessment and control of hazards and risks of the company or entity, adopting the necessary actions according to your annual Work Plan of the Occupational Health and Safety Management System.
(1.4) Reporting - Inform teleworkers of the communication mechanisms to report any issues arising from the performance of telework and instruct workers or employees on the reporting of work accidents or occupational diseases.
(1.5) Equipment Provision - Provide the teleworker with suitable work equipment and tools for the task to be performed and ensure that they receive training and information on the risks arising from the use of computer equipment. In any case, provided there is an agreement, in accordance with the provisions of article 2.2.1.5.19, employers and public servants may make their own work equipment and tools available to the employer.
(1.6) Protect and Respect - Promote the protection and respect of the human dignity of the teleworker in terms of access to information, and the right to privacy and confidentiality.
(1.7) Right to Disconnect - Guarantee the right to disconnect from work and avoid the impacts that may be generated on the mental health and emotional balance of teleworkers, in accordance with the provisions of Law 2191 of 2022 and the regulations that modify, replace and add to it.
(1.8) Medical evaluations - Order the performance of occupational medical evaluations, in accordance with the provisions of Resolution 2346 of 2007 or any regulation that modifies, adds to, or replaces it. Occupational medical evaluations may be performed via telemedicine in accordance with the provisions of Law 1413 of 2010 and Resolution 2654 of 2019 of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, or any regulation that modifies or replaces it.
(1.9) Training - Train teleworkers prior to the implementation of this modality in occupational risk prevention and promotion activities, primarily focusing on self-care, mental health, and ergonomic or biomechanical risk factors, as well as the use and application of ICT and digital security for teleworking. Training may be conducted virtually.
(1.10) Information - The employer must inform the teleworker about the restrictions on the use of computer equipment and programs, the current legislation on the protection of personal data, intellectual property, information security and in general the penalties that may result from non-compliance.
(1.11) Well-being - Advance actions regarding the well-being and training of the teleworker, within the framework of the training and well-being plan of the company or entity.
(1.12) Policy - Adopt and publish the internal teleworking policy indicated in the article of this Decree.
The Duties of
The Employee
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Article 2.2.4.6.10 - Responsibilities of Workers
In accordance with current regulations, workers shall have, among others, the following responsibilities:
(1) To ensure comprehensive health care;
(2) Provide clear, truthful and complete information about your health status;
(3) Comply with the rules, regulations and instructions of the company's Occupational Health and Safety Management System;
(4). Inform the employer or contractor in a timely manner about the dangers and risks present in your workplace;
(5) Participate in the occupational safety and health training activities defined in the SG-SST training plan; and 6. Participate and contribute to the fulfillment of the objectives of the Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS). -
For Remote Work
The teleworker has the following obligations:
(2.1) Participate in the prevention and promotion activities organized by the company or entity, the Joint Committee 6e Safety and Health at Work, or the corresponding Occupational Watchman and participate in virtual health promotion and prevention activities of the employer or the Occupational Risk Administrator, complying with the obligations established in the legislation of the General System of Occupational Risks.
(2.2) Comply with the rules, regulations and instructions of the Occupational Safety Management System of the company or entity and heed the recommendations of the employer and the Occupational Risk Administrator.
(2.3) Ensure the comprehensive care of your health, as well as provide the employer with clear, truthful and complete information about any change in your physical or mental health status that affects or may affect your ability to work.
(2.4) Participate in occupational risk prevention activities, report work accidents and incidents and occupational diseases.
(2.5) Follow the instructions regarding the use and appropriation of information and communication technologies, as well as regarding digital security, made by the employer.
(2.6) Provide truthful information about the workplace, as well as any changes that may occur.
(2.7) Return the equipment and work tools provided by the employer for the performance of your duties, in the condition in which they were received, except for deterioration due to normal use.
(2.8) Efficiently fulfill the established activities and goals, submitting the required reports and handling the information under your charge responsibly.
(2.9) To fulfill the same activities and results as those performed in person, with the expected quality and timeliness.
(2.10) Participate in the training required for the proper performance of your work, which may be conducted virtually.
(2.11) Participate in the wellness, training and incentive sessions and activities developed by the company or public entity.
What's next?
Step 1
Run an ergonomics audit following these regulations.
Step 2
List out the gaps in your ergonomics policy.
Step 4
Contact Ergo Global for more support where needed.
