HISTORY OF SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK IN COLOMBIA - HISTORY - 2024

The history of occupational safety and health in Colombia begins in pre-Columbian times, continues in colonial times and has its greatest development after independence, with work to be done today.

Since people have organized themselves into productive work groups to strengthen the development of their community, safety and health at work have been a fundamental part of the work environment. This is because human beings have always sought to perform their work in an environment that provides stability and security.

Palace of Justice in Bogotá. Felipe Restrepo Acosta

While it is true that over the years the working environment conditions have improved worldwide, the truth is that they have not been maintained in all countries. However, Colombia has been one of the nations that has managed to establish good legislation in terms of safety and health in the workplace.

Having knowledge about this topic is very important, because beyond showing the progress of labor legislation, a great advantage is obtained; which is to avoid mistakes that are likely to threaten the health and safety of the worker in any work environment.

Therefore, this time we will try to briefly explain how the historical evolution of occupational health and safety has been in this country since the time of the viceroyalty.

Safety and health at work in the time of the viceroyalty

Precolumbian era

During the Amerindian era, the American aborigines looked for nature to provide them, in addition to food, a stable and safe environment. From that moment, the indigenous people sought to work under safety regulations that would allow them to carry out agricultural activities with the greatest possible protection.

For example, the Incas sought to provide the greatest possible protection to people who fell ill or suffered an accident as a result of their work activity.

In this period, work generated a certain satisfaction, sense of responsibility, contribution and / or joy, which is why it was far from being forced or exploitative labor.

Colonial times

During the time of the discovery of America the activities happened to be instead of agricultural, mining; being the fundamental indigenous labor force. However, due to excessive exploitation by the colonizers, this workforce had to be reinforced and / or replaced by African workforce.

At the time of the Colony or also known as the time of New Granada, a political, administrative, social, political and economic organization was installed, under which all labor and coexistence security passed to the order and direction of the viceroy.

To understand it, it must be clear that the powers and faculties of the viceroy were really very broad, since he had the power to make decisions in the place of the king, so to speak.

Therefore, all the governmental and administrative action of the colony that was granted to any hearing or trial, fell on him because he was simply the head of the hearing.

In this sense, the interest of Spaniards in taking advantage of indigenous work under conditions similar to those in some regions of Europe became more evident, which did not maintain any sense of contribution or experience of collective work and that it was really enjoyable or rewarding for Workers.

In this way, at the time of the conquest, work lacked social, moral and spiritual categories, completely entering the economic and physical category. Then the slavery of indigenous labor was established in the entire region of South America.

Evolution of health and safety after the viceroyalty

After the time of the viceroyalty it was really difficult to establish legislation that would guarantee safety and health in Colombia. This was only possible at the beginning of the 20th century specifically in 1904, when Rafael Uribe formally exposed the issue of safety at work, which later became Law 57 of 1915 known as the “Uribe law” on occupational accidents and diseases. professionals.

This first law related to the issue of occupational health in the country, has had great importance when regulating occupational accidents and occupational diseases. This is because it established the first and structured definition of an accident at work.

In addition to this, the law made it possible to establish economic-welfare benefits, the responsibility of the employer, the type or class of disability, the survivor's pension and compensation in cases where there is any physical limitation due to work.

Later in 1950, the Substantive Labor Code (CST) was issued, which establishes multiple standards related to occupational health such as: working hours, compulsory rest, benefits for occupational accidents and diseases, and hygiene and safety at work.

By means of Decree 3170 of 1964, the Mandatory Social Security Regulations for work accidents and occupational diseases are approved, from which the Colombian Institute of Social Security begins with coverage of occupational risks for the working population of urban areas of the formal sector, industrial and semi-industrial.

During this decade of the 60s, the legislation on occupational health of the public sector was also developed and decrees 3135 of 1968 and 1848 of 1969 were issued, which allowed to regulate the labor regime and benefits of public employees.

In short, since 1964 the protection of private sector workers in matters of work-related accidents and occupational disease was clearly and precisely regulated by the Colombian Institute of Social Security (currently the Social Security Institute) and since 1968 the protection for accidents at work and occupational disease of public sector servants with the National Social Security Fund (Cajanal).

In 1979 the term "occupational health" was born and sanitary measures were dictated in companies.

In 1983, through Decree 586, the national occupational health committee was created. In which Decree 614 of 1984 is issued, to establish the basis for the administration of occupational health.

In 1984 the first national occupational health plan was drawn up with the participation of entities that at the time constituted the national occupational health committee.

In 1989, the Ministry of Health, through resolution 1016, regulated the organization, operation and form of Occupational Health Programs that employers or employers in the country must develop.

In 1994 the organization and administration of the General System of Occupational Risks was determined.

In 1996, through resolution 2318, the issuance of Occupational Health licenses for natural and legal persons was delegated and regulated, their surveillance and control by the Sectional and Local Health Directorates, and the Manual of Administrative Technical Procedures was adopted for the issuance of these licenses.

In 2003, the Minister of Social Protection, using his legal powers, especially those conferred by literal a) of article 83 of Law 9 of 1979 and numerals 6 and 12 of article 2 of Decree 205 of 2003, establishes the Evidence-Based Comprehensive Occupational Health Care Guidelines.

In 2008, provisions were established and responsibilities were defined for the identification, evaluation, prevention, intervention, and permanent monitoring of exposure to psychosocial risk factors at work and for determining the origin of pathologies caused by occupational stress.

Also through resolution 3673, the Technical Regulations for Safe Work at Heights are established.

In 2009 with the modification of Article 16 Resolution 2346 of 2007 by Resolution 1918 of that year. It was established that the medical specialists in occupational health or medicine, who are part of the company's medical services, will have the custody and custody of the occupational medical history and are responsible for guaranteeing its confidentiality.

In 2014, through Decree 1443, provisions were issued for the implementation of the Occupational Health and Safety Management System (SG-SST), remaining as a reference in the country for the design, implementation and execution of the safety system.

Current situation

Thanks to Colombian legislation in terms of occupational health and safety, there has been an evolution in the regulations on occupational hazards.

Allowing the implementation of a Health and Safety Management System at work, as something essential in any organization with respect to the people who belong to it, either because they have a disability or any other work circumstance.

In this way, decent conditions can be guaranteed for all workers, thus reducing barriers to integration, participation and equality. In addition to this, the knowledge and evolution of the word work has facilitated its conception as decent work, which must be based on the construction of human rights such as dignity.

Bibliographic references

1. Gómez R. Natalia E. and Turizo P. Felipe. (2016). Occupational health and safety in Colombia: challenges for people with disabilities. CES Magazine. 7 (2): 84–94. Recovered from:
2. History of Safety and Health at work in Colombia. Recovered from: timetoast.com
3. Lizarazo César G., Fajardo Javier M., Berrio Shyrle and Quintana Leonardo. (2010). Brief history of occupational health in Colombia. Pontifical Javeriana University. Bogota Colombia. Recovered from: researchgate.net
4. Robledo Fernando H. (2014). Security and health at work. Third edition. Ecoe editions. Bogota Colombia. Recovered from: books.google.es
5. Romero John. Chapter 1 History of Occupational Health (online). Recovered from: calameo.com