CO · Expiry & renewal tracking
Never let your COPASST's term expire without calling an election
Every Colombian company with ten or more workers must have a COPASST (Resolución 2013 de 1986), and its members serve two-year terms (Article 63(a) of Decreto 1295 de 1994). The employer organises the election and appoints its representatives; non-compliance is punished under Article 2.2.4.6.36 of Decreto 1072 de 2015.
Every company or institution, public or private, with ten (10) or more workers must set up a medicine, hygiene and industrial safety committee (Article 1 of Resolución 2013 de 1986). Decreto 1295 de 1994 renamed it the joint occupational health committee and kept it under Resolución 2013 (Article 63), and Decreto 1072 de 2015 now reads it as the Joint Occupational Safety and Health Committee, COPASST (Article 2.2.4.6.2, paragraph 2). Companies with fewer than ten workers act in coordination with their workers under the employer's responsibility (Article 3 of Resolución 2013) and have a monitor (vigía), who performs the same functions as the committee (Article 35(c) and paragraph of Decreto 1295).
The committee has an equal number of employer and worker representatives, each with an alternate: one per side for 10 to 49 workers, two for 50 to 499, three for 500 to 999 and four for 1,000 or more (Article 2 of Resolución 2013). The employer appoints its representatives directly and the workers elect theirs by free vote (Article 5). Resolución 2013 set the members' term at one year (Article 6), but Decreto 1295 de 1994 increased it to two years (Article 63(a)). The employer appoints the chair each year from among its representatives and the full committee elects the secretary (Article 9).
The committee meets at least once a month on company premises during working hours; after a serious accident or where there is imminent danger it meets in extraordinary session within the following five days (Article 7 of Resolución 2013). The employer must give each member at least four hours a week within normal working time for the committee's work (Article 63(b) of Decreto 1295). The employer must keep available the records of the call for elections, the election and formation of the COPASST and the minutes of its meetings, or the appointment of the monitor and the records of their work (Article 2.2.4.6.12(10) of Decreto 1072 de 2015).
At a glance
| Who must have one | Companies and institutions with ten (10) or more workers (Article 1 of Resolución 2013 de 1986); with fewer than ten, a monitor (vigía) (Article 35 of Decreto 1295 de 1994) |
|---|---|
| Members' term | Two (2) years (Article 63(a) of Decreto 1295 de 1994, which amended Article 6 of Resolución 2013) |
| Composition | Equal numbers of employer and worker representatives, with alternates: 1, 2, 3 or 4 per side depending on headcount (Article 2 of Resolución 2013) |
| Election | The employer appoints its representatives; workers elect theirs by free vote (Article 5) |
| Chair and secretary | The employer appoints the chair each year; the committee elects the secretary (Article 9) |
| Meetings | At least once a month, on company premises and during working hours (Article 7) |
| Time for committee work | At least four hours a week within each member's working time (Article 63(b) of Decreto 1295) |
| Records | Call for elections, election, formation and minutes kept available and up to date (Article 2.2.4.6.12(10) of Decreto 1072 de 2015) |
Who is responsible?
The employer: it must enable the election of the workers' representatives while guaranteeing free and timely voting, appoint its own representatives and the chair, provide the means for the committee to operate and consider its recommendations (Article 14 of Resolución 2013 de 1986). It must also ensure that workers and their COPASST representatives take part and that the committee operates with the time and resources it needs (Article 2.2.4.6.8(9) of Decreto 1072 de 2015).
If the deadline passes
Non-compliance with the SG-SST chapter of Decreto 1072 de 2015, which covers the formation and operation of the COPASST or monitor, is punished under Article 91 of Decreto 1295 de 1994, as amended by Article 13 of Ley 1562 de 2012 (Article 2.2.4.6.36 of Decreto 1072). That rule provides for graduated fines according to the seriousness of the breach and, for repeat offences, suspension of activities for up to one hundred and twenty (120) days or permanent closure of the company by the Ministry of Labour's regional directorates (Article 13 of Ley 1562 de 2012). ARLs exercise delegated oversight and report cases of non-compliance to the regional directorates (Article 2.2.4.6.36, paragraph).
The outgoing committee serves until its term ends
Existing committees continue to operate until the end of the term for which they were elected, when they are renewed under Resolución 2013 de 1986 (Article 18). Call the election early enough for the new committee to be in place when the two-year term ends.
Tracking it with ExpirySuite
- Add the company (or each establishment with its own committee, which the rule allows: Article 4 of Resolución 2013) as a record and enter as the expiry date the day two years after the current committee was formed.
- Email reminders arrive 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before and on the day, leaving time to call the workers' vote and appoint the employer's representatives.
- The SG-SST lead or the committee secretary can upload the minutes forming the new COPASST through a secure link that is valid for 14 days and needs no account.
- Assign the SG-SST lead or the HR team as the responsible person; if the term ends without a new election, managers get further reminders 3, 7 and 14 days later.
Frequently asked questions
- How long is the COPASST term?
- Two (2) years: Decreto 1295 de 1994 increased the members' term to two years (Article 63(a)), which Resolución 2013 de 1986 had set at one year (Article 6).
- Can members be re-elected?
- Resolución 2013 de 1986 provides that, at the end of their term, members may be re-elected (Article 6).
- Which companies must set one up?
- Every company or institution, public or private, with ten (10) or more workers (Article 1 of Resolución 2013 de 1986). With fewer than ten workers the company has a monitor (vigía), who performs the same functions as the committee (Article 35(c) and paragraph of Decreto 1295 de 1994).
- How many members does it have?
- One representative per side (employer and workers) for 10 to 49 workers, two for 50 to 499, three for 500 to 999 and four for 1,000 or more, each with an alternate (Article 2 of Resolución 2013 de 1986).
- Which documents must I keep?
- The records of the call for elections, the election and formation of the COPASST and the minutes of its meetings, or the appointment of the monitor and the records of their work (Article 2.2.4.6.12(10) of Decreto 1072 de 2015). The committee must keep a file of the minutes of each meeting (Article 11(k) of Resolución 2013).
Sources
- Resolución 2013 de 1986 of the Ministries of Labour and Health, medicine, hygiene and industrial safety committees (Régimen Legal de Bogotá, District Legal Secretariat; in Spanish)
- Decreto Ley 1295 de 1994, Articles 35, 63 and 91 (Función Pública, Gestor Normativo; in Spanish)
- Decreto 1072 de 2015, Articles 2.2.4.6.2, 2.2.4.6.8, 2.2.4.6.12 and 2.2.4.6.36 (Función Pública, Gestor Normativo; in Spanish)
- Ley 1562 de 2012, Article 13 (Función Pública, Gestor Normativo; in Spanish)
Last checked: Oct 7, 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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