ARLs and SG-SST software: coordinating external support with company management
A visit from an ARL can provide valuable observations, but its usefulness depends on what happens afterwards. The report needs to reach the right owner, become decisions and support verification of implemented measures. Saving it as an isolated PDF breaks the link between external support and daily management.
In Colombia, coordinating an Administradora de Riesgos Laborales, or ARL, with SG-SST software means organising that follow-up. Start by distinguishing external assistance, business decisions and activities carried out by each department.
Understand responsibilities before designing the workflow
Article 2.2.4.6.9 of Decree 1072 of 2015 (in Spanish) addresses ARL advice and technical assistance, together with SG-SST training for the COPASST or designated safety representative. Article 2.2.4.6.8 maintains the employer’s obligations. Coordination should preserve this allocation and identify who performs each task.
The entry on the OSH management system provides context. In practice, distinguish a received recommendation, an assessed measure, an approved decision and a completed activity. These milestones are connected but are not interchangeable.
Prepare an agenda based on risks
Before requesting support, collect specific questions: recurring incidents, task changes, uncertainty about a control or training needs. Add validated contextual information and define the expected outcome of the session. A focused agenda makes better use of participants’ expertise.
Record the date, purpose, contacts and shared documents. Also show whether an activity has been requested, confirmed or completed. The company can then spot a need that remains unmet even when a request email was sent weeks earlier.
Turn a report into an action with an owner
After the visit, assign someone to review the report and classify its recommendations. Some may require immediate measures; others may need technical analysis or an investment decision. Avoid automatically converting every paragraph into a task without checking relevance and scope.
| Record | Useful content |
|---|---|
| Origin | Support activity, date and document reference. |
| Decision | Agreed measure and the reason for its priority. |
| Delivery | Owner, resources, deadline and expected evidence. |
| Verification | Person checking the outcome and subsequent follow-up. |
Preventive activity planning helps preserve this chain. One recommendation can create several actions, while one action may address findings from several sources. Keeping these relationships reduces duplication.
An illustrative follow-up case
A fictional logistics company requests support to review manual handling. The visit identifies opportunities to improve the arrangement of materials. The internal team assesses the proposal, assigns the relocation to operations and prepares information for affected workers.
The software stores evidence of the new layout and its use review. Any difficulty is documented and referred back to the appropriate technical process. The action remains open while the planned verification is outstanding, even if the visit and training have already been completed.
This example does not attribute a particular service to every ARL or promise automatic integration with their platforms. Confirm the support scope and available channels with the ARL and the software provider.
Share only the information needed
Decide which documents are shared, with whom and through which channel. A limited report or a case file prepared for a meeting may be enough; access to the whole platform is not always necessary. If an external account is created, define its scope, duration and permission review.
Also test how the completion of a recommendation is communicated and where the response is retained. This prevents knowledge from becoming fragmented again across personal conversations and downloaded files.
Before a follow-up meeting, prepare a short view of decisions, unresolved questions and evidence ready for review. Assign an internal owner to each open question so that the session ends with clear next steps, including issues that require further analysis rather than immediate closure.
Connect support with the annual cycle
Link agreed activities to the annual SG-SST work plan. COPASST follow-up can include relevant matters, while overdue actions need a specific review of barriers and resources.
When exploring Sabentis OSH software, use a sample report and follow its conversion into verifiable measures. Software’s value becomes clear when it shows what was recommended, what the company decided and what changed in the workplace.
Checklist for concluding a session with the ARL
Before ending the session, turn observations into a record the company can use. This checklist separates assistance already received from the decisions that remain outstanding within the organisation and need an internal owner.
- Confirm that the report or minutes identify the reviewed activity, its limits and questions that have not yet been resolved.
- Separate requests for technical clarification from business decisions such as purchases, organisational changes or the allocation of resources.
- Assign an internal contact to each recommendation and link it to an existing measure where both address the same problem.
- Agree how progress will be reported back to the ARL and which documents will be sufficient for the next review.
- Check that temporary access granted for the session retains only the scope and duration still needed for the agreed purpose.
Frequently asked questions
Does a favourable ARL report certify the entire SG-SST?
Do not interpret a visit as universal validation of the system. Read its scope, activities and specific conclusions. The company must continue managing its duties and outstanding actions; receiving assistance does not, by itself, demonstrate that all working conditions are controlled throughout the organisation.
Does the ARL need a permanent software account?
Not necessarily. A limited report or document exchange through an agreed channel may be sufficient. If creating an account, define what it needs to access, who authorises it and when it will be reviewed. The usefulness of sharing information does not justify opening every case.
How can I avoid duplicating an action the consultant already proposed?
Link the new recommendation to the existing finding and measure. Retain both origins and check whether the proposal changes scope, priority or verification. One action can address several observations, provided the record explains which ones it covers and which matters remain outside its scope.
What if a recommendation seems inapplicable to our operation?
Request clarification using specific information about the task and observed conditions. Record the response and the competent team’s decision. Do not reject the recommendation merely because implementation is difficult, or automatically create a task without understanding which risk the proposed measure is intended to control.
Legislation and consulted sources
- Decree 1072 of 2015, articles 2.2.4.6.8 and 2.2.4.6.9. Colombia: employer duties and ARL technical assistance responsibilities. Spanish text.
- Law 1562 of 2012, article 11. Colombia: framework for promotion and prevention services within the occupational risk system. Spanish text.
Sources consulted on 6 October 2026.
