Ministry of Labour inspections in Colombia 2026: Resolution 4179 of 2025, unannounced visits and how to prepare the SG-SST
Colombia’s Ministry of Labour changed the way it inspects in 2025. Resolution 4179 of 2025 created the “Una Inspección con Propósito” (An Inspection with Purpose) model, incorporating differential, intersectional, gender and human-rights approaches, under which visits may be conducted without prior notice, subject to legal limits and safeguards. In 2026 it is joined by the nationwide mass “Ojo a la reforma laboral” inspection and oversight of Decree 1040 of 2026 on workplace harassment. For calculations based on the monthly minimum wage, the transitional 2026 amount is COP 1,750,905 under Decree 159 of 2026: a general fine of 5,000 monthly minimum wages would equal COP 8,754,525,000, although that maximum is not the ordinary OHS-specific ceiling. This guide explains what the resolution establishes and how to prepare the SG-SST.
What changes with Resolution 4179 of 2025
- Visits that may be conducted without prior notice, subject to legal limits and safeguards, with the power to request documents during the visit.
- Prioritisation of visits involving breaches of labour, social-security or OHS rules; workplace violence or discrimination; and conduct affecting freedom of association.
- Five strands of execution: territorial inspection; the nationwide mass “Ojo a la reforma laboral” inspection; rural inspection; freedom-of-association inspection; and specialised inspection in the sectors identified by the Resolution itself.
- Differential, intersectional, gender and human-rights approaches in all actions.
- In rural inspections of medium-sized and large agro-industrial businesses, findings may lead to administrative sanction proceedings or improvement agreements. The Resolution does not create a new general timetable for sanction proceedings.
Inspection priorities in 2026
- Compliance with the labour reform (Law 2466 of 2025): working hours, surcharges, contracts and formalisation (“Ojo a la reforma laboral”).
- The SG-SST and the minimum standards of Resolution 0312 of 2019.
- Workplace harassment, violence and discrimination: policy, protocol and coexistence committee (Decree 1040 of 2026).
- Specialised inspection in the sectors identified by Resolution 4179 itself and, in OHS, verification of high-risk programmes such as work at heights.
- Illegal outsourcing, labour intermediation and freedom of association.
Which SG-SST documents are checked
Resolution 4179 does not prescribe a closed list of SG-SST documents. As an operational preparation tool based on Decree 1072 of 2015 and Resolution 0312 of 2019, the following records should be available and verified, adjusted to the company’s size and risk class and to the subject of the visit:
- Signed and communicated OHS policy; workplace harassment prevention policy and protocol.
- Initial evaluation, minimum standards self-assessment and improvement plan.
- Hazard identification, risk assessment and evaluation matrix.
- Annual work plan with progress and evidence.
- Training, induction and re-induction with attendance records.
- Occupational medical examinations and job profiles.
- PPE delivery, work permits and work-at-heights certificates.
- COPASST and coexistence committee: minutes and terms.
- Accident investigation and reporting to the ARL.
- Social security affiliations and payments, including apprentices and contractors.
Penalties: general scale and occupational-risk ceilings
Article 486 of the Substantive Labour Code, as amended by Article 7 of Law 1610 of 2013, provides for general fines of 1 to 5,000 monthly minimum wages. For breaches specific to the General Occupational Risk System, Article 13 of Law 1562 of 2012 provides for fines of up to 500 monthly minimum wages; where a fatal accident is linked to a proven OHS breach, the range is 20 to 1,000 monthly minimum wages. Decree 472 of 2015 governs the grading of fines and suspension or closure measures. Administrative penalties may be accompanied, where the legal conditions are proved, by full ordinary damages under Article 216 of the Substantive Labour Code and criminal liability.
How to prepare the SG-SST for an unannounced visit
- Keep documentation centralised and accessible within minutes, not in scattered files.
- Keep the self-assessment and improvement plan up to date, with evidence per standard.
- Ensure the SG-SST officer holds a valid licence and the 50-hour course.
- Verify contractors before they enter, not afterwards.
- Train supervisors and workers on what to answer and where the documents are.
- Run an internal mock inspection every quarter.
How Sabentis helps
Sabentis centralises the SG-SST with traceability: legal self-assessment, a document repository with version control, committee management, contractor control and safety inspections, with reports ready to hand to the inspector, through its communication, training and compliance modules and organisational management and planning modules. Context in Decree 1040 of 2026 and Colombia’s 2026 labour reform.
Frequently asked questions
Can the inspector enter without notice?
Yes, a visit may be conducted without prior notice; the team must identify itself and comply with legal limits and safeguards.
How long do I have to deliver documents?
Resolution 4179 sets no single period: the specific deadline in the request or record must be met, which is why documents should be available immediately.
What if there is a serious accident during or before the inspection?
The Ministry verifies the accident investigation, the report to the ARL and the corrective measures adopted. Their absence may constitute an additional breach, assessed under the applicable grading criteria.
Sources
- Resolution 4179 of 2025, Ministry of Labour, “Una Inspección con Propósito” model (Spanish); Decree 159 of 2026 (2026 minimum wage).
- Law 1610 of 2013, Law 1562 of 2012, Decree 472 of 2015, Decree 1072 of 2015 and Articles 216 and 486 of the Substantive Labour Code.
