Homeowners' associations
Occupational health and safety for homeowners' associations: the technical backing management needs and residents expect
Labor compliance current, common areas under control and a management team that answers with evidence before the board and the assembly.
The problem
A homeowners' association (propiedad horizontal, under Colombian law) is an employer: it answers for the safety of its doormen, cleaning and maintenance staff, of the contractors who enter the common areas and, in practice, of the residents. Yet it rarely has a dedicated safety officer, and the rotation of security and cleaning staff leaves the system out of date without anyone noticing.
When the Ministerio de Trabajo (the ministry of labor) arrives, or worse, a real emergency, the only thing that protects the property manager and the board is a documented system that is actually running. This service is that backing: for property managers, boards and companies that manage homeowners' associations, required to comply with Decreto 1072 de 2015 and Resolución 0312 de 2019.
The result of what we do
- 100%
- Occupational safety legal requirements mapped, with an owner and a compliance date.
- 0
- Findings without a closure plan after each audit or inspection.
- 24/7
- Emergency and evacuation plan current, communicated and ready to activate.
Scope
System and compliance
The base: implementing the association's SG-SST, knowing where it stands today and keeping the documentation current.
- End-to-end implementation of the SG-SST adapted to how a homeowners' association operates.
- Compliance assessment against Decreto 1072 de 2015 and the minimum standards of Resolución 0312 de 2019.
- Updating and document control for the management system.
Risks and emergencies
Operational control of the common areas, where the real accidents happen.
- Identification, evaluation and control of operational and security risks in common areas.
- Design, updating and communication of emergency and evacuation plans.
- Safety inspections of the premises and of operating conditions across the property.
People and support
Staff that is trained, and a management team that doesn't face the authorities alone.
- Specialized safety and emergency training for doormen, cleaning and maintenance staff.
- Investigation of workplace incidents and accidents, with a preventive focus.
- Internal occupational health and safety (SST) audits.
- Technical support during visits and formal requests from the Ministerio de Trabajo.
Frequently asked questions
Is a homeowners' association required to have an SG-SST?
Yes. Any association with workers under its charge, directly or through contractors, is an employer under Colombian law and must implement the SG-SST, the mandatory occupational health and safety management system, in line with Decreto 1072 de 2015, the decree that makes it mandatory, and Resolución 0312 de 2019, which sets its minimum standards. Which standard applies depends on headcount and risk level.
Who answers if an accident happens in the common areas?
The association, represented by its property manager, answers both as an employer and as the party responsible for the building. An occupational health and safety system that is documented and operating is the evidence of diligence that reduces the exposure of the property manager and the board to penalties.
How long does an implementation from scratch take?
For a standard HOA, the assessment takes one to two weeks and the base implementation six to twelve weeks, depending on size, the number of contractors and the state of the existing documentation. Follow-up afterwards is monthly.
Do you work with security and cleaning staff employed by a third party?
Yes. We include the coordination of activities with contractors, which is one of the areas where the most findings appear: verification of social security enrollments, contractor risk matrices and evidence that it was communicated.