What is NEN 3140?

NEN 3140 is the Dutch standard for the safe management of low-voltage electrical installations and electrical work equipment. The standard describes how you manage installations, how often you inspect them and who may work on them. The current version is NEN 3140:2011+A3:2019 , published by NEN.

NEN 3140 is not a certificate for your company. For what a certificate does mean, read NEN 3140 certificate. The standard is the usual way to meet articles 3.4 and 3.5 of the Arbobesluit (Dutch Working Conditions Decree) . Those articles require that installations are safe and that only expert, sufficiently instructed and authorised employees work on them. You show this with a periodic NEN 3140 inspection and with written appointments of VPs and VOPs.

In short, NEN 3140 is a working method, not a quality mark. You arrange who is responsible, you have installations and tools inspected, and you record who may do what.

NEN 3140 at a glance


What is it?	Standard for the management, use and inspection of electrical installations and work equipment, and for work on them
Voltage range	Up to 1,000 V AC and 1,500 V DC
Who is it for?	Any employer with an electrical installation or electrical tools
Mandatory?	The Arbo requirements are. NEN 3140 is the usual way to meet them
Certificate?	No. Inspection companies can be certified by SCIOS
Current version	NEN 3140:2011+A3:2019. A revision is ready as a draft
European basis	NEN-EN 50110-1
High voltage	Covered by NEN 3840

What does NEN 3140 require from employers?

The standard revolves around three things. First, the organisation: who is the installation responsible person and work responsible person, and who has been appointed as a competent or sufficiently instructed person. Second, the inspection of the fixed installation and the testing of electrical tools. Third, the working method: in principle, you work with the installation de-energised.

A metal company with 25 employees, for example, appoints the head of technical services as installation responsible person. It has the installation inspected every four years, tests hand tools every year, and gives two operators a VOP appointment for resetting machines.

Is NEN 3140 mandatory?

The law does not name NEN 3140 explicitly. The situation is set out on Is NEN 3140 mandatory?. The Arbobesluit does require that installations are safe, that there are up-to-date schedules (article 3.4), and that work equipment is tested as often as necessary (article 7.4a). Techniek Nederland describes NEN 3140 as the practical translation of those rules. The Netherlands Labour Authority (Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie) can issue a warning or a fine if you do not arrange it.

In addition, many insurers require a SCIOS Scope 10 inspection for fire risk. That is a separate inspection, with a different purpose from the NEN 3140 inspection.

NEN 3140, NEN 1010 and SCIOS

NEN 1010 covers the installation of a system. NEN 3140 covers its management afterwards. SCIOS is the certification scheme for the companies that inspect: Scope 8 for occupational safety under NEN 3140, and Scope 10 for fire risk.

Is there a new NEN 3140?

Yes. In 2026, NEN put a revised NEN 3140 out for public comment, aligned with the updated European standard EN 50110-1. Comments were possible until 7 July 2026, according to NEN . Until the final version appears, NEN 3140:2011+A3:2019 remains the standard.

Everything about NEN 3140 at a glance

How often you inspect and what is checked.

NEN 3140 inspection

The certified inspection for occupational safety.

SCIOS Scope 8

The fire risk inspection that insurers ask for.

SCIOS Scope 10

Frequency, register and who may test.

Testing electrical tools

Price indications for NEN 3140, Scope 8, 9 and 10.

Inspection costs

Who is responsible for the installation and the work?

IV and WV

With an example appointment letter you can adopt.

Appointing VPs and VOPs

Installation versus management, and who uses which standard.

NEN 1010 vs NEN 3140

Check for yourself whether your electrical safety is in order.

NEN 3140 checklist

What the law requires, set out per situation.

Is NEN 3140 mandatory?

Which document proves what, and what you can show.

NEN 3140 certificate

Which authorisation you need to test equipment.

NEN 3140 testing officer (keurmeester)

Testing of electrical work equipment, and how it differs from Scope 8.

SCIOS Scope 9

What a course for a VP or VOP should cover.

NEN 3140 course

Which study material to know and how to prepare.

NEN 3140 practice test

The five safety rules, with an example.

Working dead

Test button, recording and what to do if it does not trip.

Testing an RCD

Sources

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