How often must the 50-hour course be refreshed?

To keep the certification valid, a certified twenty (20) hour refresher must be completed every three (3) years, with the syllabus set by the Ministry of Labour's Occupational Risks Directorate (Article 16 of Resolución 4927 de 2016).

If I already hold an occupational safety and health licence, do I need the course?

Yes. The online course is mandatory for everyone who runs, coordinates or implements the system, in any type of company, regardless of whether they hold the licence (Article 14, paragraph 1, of Resolución 4927 de 2016). Resolución 0312 de 2019 requires both a valid licence and the course from those who design the system (Articles 4, 10 and 17).

Who can deliver the course?

The occupational risk insurers (ARL) must offer it, and SENA, family compensation funds, higher-education and quality-certified vocational institutions, companies, trade associations and international bodies may offer it (Article 3), provided they are entered in the Ministry of Labour's register (Article 9 of Resolución 4927 de 2016).

Is the course enough to design the SG-SST of a small company?

No. Someone who only holds the fifty-hour course may manage and run the system in companies with ten or fewer workers in risk classes I, II or III, but not design it; design also requires a valid SST licence and experience (Article 4 of Resolución 0312 de 2019).

CO · Expiry & renewal tracking

Keep your team's 50-hour SG-SST course certificate valid

Whoever runs or coordinates the SG-SST in Colombia must pass the 50-hour online course (Article 2.2.4.6.35 of Decreto 1072 de 2015) and keep it valid with a 20-hour refresher every three years (Article 16 of Resolución 4927 de 2016). There is no grace period; responsibility for the system stays with the employer.

The people responsible for running the Occupational Safety and Health Management System (SG-SST) must take the fifty (50) hour online training course on the SG-SST defined by the Ministry of Labour and obtain the certificate of completion (Article 2.2.4.6.35 of Decreto 1072 de 2015). The employer must ensure that staff responsible for occupational safety and health are available, with the profile set by the rules in force and the minimum standards (Article 2.2.4.6.8(10)). Resolución 4927 de 2016 of the Ministry of Labour sets the parameters for developing, certifying and registering this free online training (Article 1) and states that the course is mandatory for everyone who runs, coordinates or implements the system, in any type of company, even if they hold an occupational safety and health licence (Article 14, paragraph 1).

To keep the online course certification valid, people must complete a certified twenty (20) hour refresher every three (3) years, with the syllabus or modules set by the Ministry of Labour's Occupational Risks Directorate (Article 16 of Resolución 4927 de 2016). The course must be offered by the occupational risk insurers (ARL) and may also be offered by SENA, family compensation funds, educational institutions and other bodies (Article 3), which may only offer it and issue certificates while their entry in the Ministry's register is in force (Article 9). The certificate must state, among other things, the provider's registration number, the person trained, the city and date of issue and the hours completed (Article 11), and the provider must register it in the Ministry's application within fifteen (15) business days after the course ends; a certificate that is not registered is not recognised by the Ministry (Article 12).

Resolución 0312 de 2019 (SG-SST Minimum Standards) requires the fifty (50) hour online course, together with a valid SST licence, from those who design the system in companies of any size (Articles 4, 10 and 17), allows people who only hold the course to manage and run the system in companies with ten or fewer workers in risk classes I, II or III without designing it (Article 4), and requires the course from people who advise or assist contractors on SST (Article 23). One of the standards checked is that the SG-SST lead has taken the course, which is verified by asking for the certificate of completion in their name (standards table in Article 16).

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At a glance

Who needs it	People responsible for running the SG-SST (Article 2.2.4.6.35 of Decreto 1072 de 2015) and everyone who runs, coordinates or implements the system, even with an SST licence (Article 14, paragraph 1, of Resolución 4927 de 2016)
Initial course	Fifty (50) hour online training, free of charge (Articles 1 and 4 of Resolución 4927 de 2016)
Keeping it valid	Certified twenty (20) hour refresher every three (3) years (Article 16)
Who delivers it	ARLs (mandatory); optionally SENA, family compensation funds, educational institutions and other bodies registered with the Ministry of Labour (Articles 3 and 9)
Certificate registration	The provider registers it in the Ministry's application within fifteen (15) business days after the course ends (Article 12)
Who checks	Ministry of Labour (Article 17); ARLs carry out delegated supervision of the SG-SST chapter (Article 2.2.4.6.36, paragraph, of Decreto 1072 de 2015)

Resolución 4927 de 2016 sets the refresher every three years but does not expressly say from which date the period runs; the certificate date is the practical reference for tracking.

Who is responsible?

The person who runs, coordinates or implements the SG-SST must pass the course and its refreshers (Articles 14 and 16 of Resolución 4927 de 2016). Responsibility for the system lies with the employer or contracting party and is not transferred to the designated lead (Articles 14, paragraph 3, and 15), and the employer must ensure that responsible staff have the required profile (Article 2.2.4.6.8(10) of Decreto 1072 de 2015), so the company should also track the refresher date of each certificate. Providers must register certificates in the Ministry's application (Article 12).

If the deadline passes

Under Article 16 of Resolución 4927 de 2016, the twenty-hour refresher is the condition for keeping the certification valid; the resolution provides no grace period. Non-compliance with the SG-SST chapter is punished under Article 91 of Decreto Ley 1295 de 1994, as amended by Article 13 of Ley 1562 de 2012 (Article 2.2.4.6.36 of Decreto 1072 de 2015), and inspection, supervision and control of Resolución 4927 lie with the Ministry of Labour (Article 17). Non-compliance with the Minimum Standards is punished on the same terms (Article 36 of Resolución 0312 de 2019).

A certificate only counts if it is registered

A certificate that the provider did not register in the Ministry of Labour's application is not recognised (Article 12 of Resolución 4927 de 2016). Besides recording the refresher date, check that the certificate appears in the register the Ministry publishes (Article 13).

Tracking it with ExpirySuite

Add a record for each person who runs, coordinates or designs the SG-SST and enter as the expiry date three years after the date of their latest certificate (50-hour course or 20-hour refresher).
Email reminders arrive 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before and on the day, in time to enrol in the 20-hour refresher with the ARL or another registered provider.
The trained person can upload the new certificate through a secure link that is valid for 14 days and needs no account; then move the expiry date on to three years from that certificate.
Assign the HR team or the SG-SST lead as the responsible person; if the date passes without a refresher, managers get further reminders 3, 7 and 14 days later.

Frequently asked questions

How often must the 50-hour course be refreshed?: To keep the certification valid, a certified twenty (20) hour refresher must be completed every three (3) years, with the syllabus set by the Ministry of Labour's Occupational Risks Directorate (Article 16 of Resolución 4927 de 2016).
If I already hold an occupational safety and health licence, do I need the course?: Yes. The online course is mandatory for everyone who runs, coordinates or implements the system, in any type of company, regardless of whether they hold the licence (Article 14, paragraph 1, of Resolución 4927 de 2016). Resolución 0312 de 2019 requires both a valid licence and the course from those who design the system (Articles 4, 10 and 17).
Who can deliver the course?: The occupational risk insurers (ARL) must offer it, and SENA, family compensation funds, higher-education and quality-certified vocational institutions, companies, trade associations and international bodies may offer it (Article 3), provided they are entered in the Ministry of Labour's register (Article 9 of Resolución 4927 de 2016).
Is the course enough to design the SG-SST of a small company?: No. Someone who only holds the fifty-hour course may manage and run the system in companies with ten or fewer workers in risk classes I, II or III, but not design it; design also requires a valid SST licence and experience (Article 4 of Resolución 0312 de 2019).

Sources

Last checked: Oct 11, 2026 · This page summarises official sources for general information and is not legal advice. Check the linked sources for current rules and fees.

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Email alerts at 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before each 50-hour SG-SST course (20-hour refresher) (Colombia) expires, plus overdue escalation to managers.

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