What are these formats?
FURAT refers to the workplace accident report form, and FUREL to the occupational disease report form. Resolution 156 of 2005 adopted these forms, using historical occupational disease terminology, and should be consulted along with any subsequent modifications. These documents are part of the contingency reporting process within the Colombian legal framework.
Its purpose is to transmit structured information about the person, their relationship to the event, and the incident. It is not merely an internal company statistic or an authorization to receive care. The procedure must allow for the collection and communication of data without delaying urgent actions and while preserving evidence of the recipients and the date of submission.
Who reports and within what timeframe
The regulations assign the employer or contracting party the obligations of completing and communicating the corresponding documentation. Article 3 of Resolution 156, amended in 2015, establishes that the form must be fully completed within two business days following the accident or the diagnosis of the occupational disease. Subsequent modifications to the information must be communicated along with supporting documentation.
The report must be submitted to the appropriate entities depending on the event and the regulations. In addition to the Occupational risk insurer (ARL) and the Health Promoting Entity (EPS), Decree 1072 of 2015 mandates direct notification to the labor authority for serious and fatal accidents and illnesses diagnosed as work-related. Reporting to one entity should not be assumed to replace all other reporting obligations.
What information should be prepared
The format requires correctly identifying the company and the employee, the activity performed, and the known circumstances of the event. It is advisable to gather dates, location, task, description, and other data required by the applicable form. The description should differentiate between direct observations, information provided by third parties, and aspects pending verification, without presenting conjectures as confirmed facts.
In an accident, it is helpful to reconstruct the sequence of events using precise language. Expressions like “worker negligence” do not describe the mechanism, conditions, or task. In cases of occupational illness, improvised diagnoses should be avoided: medical information should be provided by qualified professionals and documented in official records. The company provides occupational and exposure data as part of its responsibilities.
Relationship with care and origin rating
Initial emergency care cannot be contingent upon having a fully completed form. The resolution itself prohibits obstructing care and clarifies the scope of the report. The organization must have a procedure in place that allows for attending to the individual and, simultaneously, managing information and communications through designated personnel.
The report constitutes one piece of evidence among others to determine the origin of the incident; it does not replace that procedure. Therefore, reporting an event does not equate to issuing a final decision on its classification. If discrepancies or new information arise, the appropriate mechanisms must be used, maintaining traceability and avoiding silently altering previously reported versions.
Research and preventive learning
The investigation of workplace accidents aims to understand their causes and prevent recurrence. It has a different purpose than simply submitting a report, although both actions share some information. A correctly submitted report does not demonstrate that the investigation is complete or that corrective measures have been implemented. Each process requires its own responsible parties, deadlines, and evidence.
Similarly, reporting an occupational illness must be linked to a review of exposures and appropriate controls. Simply filing the document after reporting it is not enough. The Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) must use the relevant information to identify potentially exposed individuals, review working conditions, and plan actions, while respecting the confidentiality of clinical data.
Practical example
In a hypothetical scenario, a worker is injured during a loading operation. The company initiates a response and retains initial information about the incident. The responsible person prepares a report with verified data and submits it to the appropriate recipients, keeping a record of the process. They do not wait for the root cause analysis to be completed before fulfilling their duty to report the incident.
Subsequent investigation identifies a process condition not included in the initial report. The finding is documented, and the corresponding report corrections are communicated, maintaining versions and supporting documentation. The company implements corrective measures and verifies their effectiveness. In this way, attention, reporting, and investigation are coordinated without confusion or interference.
Quality, privacy and traceability
The Workers’ Compensation Administrator (ARL) must receive consistent information, but internal circulation should be limited to those who need it. The form may contain personal and health data. It is not appropriate to share it in open groups or use it as training material without protecting identities and details that could identify the affected person.
A management log should track the date of awareness, responsible party, submission, acknowledgment, and corrections. It should also include procedures for replacements when the usual person is absent. Relying on a single account or local file can lead to delays and loss of evidence, especially during weekends, shift changes, or technical issues.
Common mistakes
Common errors include waiting for authorization to complete the report, mistaking a phone call for a full report, and delaying communication until definitive conclusions are reached. Blaming narratives, inconsistent dates, and revised versions without notification are also problematic. A quality report demands accuracy and diligence, not a hasty explanation of all the causes.
The internal procedure must review the current deadlines and recipients for each scenario, train those responsible, and maintain supporting documentation. The aim is to protect rights, facilitate contingency management, and provide useful information to the prevention system. The form is one part of that process, not its final result.
