NEN 3140 course: what should it cover for a VP or VOP?

A NEN 3140 course is a training programme. It teaches you the standard and how to work safely with electricity. The authority to work as a competent person (VP) or sufficiently instructed person (VOP) comes from your employer, through a written appointment. That appointment is covered on the VP and VOP page. Article 3.5 of the Arbobesluit (Dutch Working Conditions Decree) requires that dangerous electrical work is done by “deskundige, voldoend onderrichte en daartoe bevoegde werknemers” (expert, sufficiently instructed and authorised employees). The law does not mention a course. For the role of the installation responsible person, see IV and WV.

A course and an appointment are two different things. A course certificate does not make you authorised automatically. The employer decides, based on your training, experience and the tasks you are given.

Course or appointment: what is the difference?

	Course	Appointment
What is it?	Training with knowledge and skills	Written authority for specific tasks
Who issues it?	The training provider	Your employer
What does it prove?	That you have gained knowledge	That you are authorised for the tasks in the appointment
Mandatory?	No. The Arbobesluit requires authorised employees, not a course	Yes, a VP or VOP needs an appointment

After a course you receive a certificate of participation. NEN does not issue NEN 3140 inspection certificates itself. That certificate has no expiry date. Your employer decides whether the training is still current enough.

For a VOP, a course is not always necessary. A VOP is instructed by a VP or work responsible person. That instruction is the core of the appointment. The course is an extra.

What a good course covers

A course for VPs and VOPs should match the work the participant will do. Check for the following parts.

The difference between a VP and a VOP, and what each is allowed to do.
Assessing risks in electrical work, and which measures you take.
Working dead, including the order of the safety rules. See working dead.
Measuring and testing with a suitable measuring instrument.
Schedules, records and what an inspector wants to see in them.
A practical part in which you carry out the tasks yourself.

A course that only covers theory offers less to someone who works as a fitter or technician. A course that only covers practice often misses the standard and the paperwork.

Questions to ask in advance

Which version of NEN 3140 is the course based on? The current version is NEN 3140:2011+A3:2019. A revision is out for public comment as a draft.
What share of the time goes to practice, and where does that take place?
How is the knowledge tested, and what happens if the result is insufficient?
Do you receive a certificate of participation, and what does it state?
Does the course match the tasks that will be listed in your appointment?

The answers to these questions determine whether the course fits your work. A provider who cannot name the version of the standard is a red flag.

Example: an operator in the packaging industry

This is a fictional example. An operator runs a packaging machine and occasionally has to reset a fault. The employer chooses a VOP appointment. The operator receives instruction from the work responsible person on exactly those actions, and that instruction is recorded in the appointment.

A course for VPs is not needed here. A short course on the risks of the machine is useful, though. The employer decides what is sufficient, and records that decision.

Common mistakes

Treating a course certificate as an appointment.
Taking a course that does not match your own tasks.
Not having an appointment drawn up after the course.
Learning only the theory and skipping the practice.
Taking an outdated course based on an older version of the standard.

Frequently asked questions

Is a NEN 3140 course mandatory?

No. The Arbobesluit requires that dangerous electrical work is done by authorised employees. The employer ensures that, and decides how, for example through a course, experience and instruction.

How long does such a course take?

That differs per provider. Ask for the programme and the duration in advance.

Can I choose a course myself?

Yes. But the appointment comes from your employer, and they decide which course fits the tasks you will do.

What do I do after the course?

Go to your employer with the certificate of participation and the tasks you will carry out. The appointment will then follow. See appointing VPs and VOPs for what that appointment contains.

What do you do after the course?

Ask your employer for a conversation about the tasks you will carry out.
Place the certificate of participation next to the list of tasks.
Ask your employer to draw up an appointment, with the tasks, the limits and the date.
Keep the appointment in your employer’s file, and keep your course certificate with your own papers.

An appointment without tasks is empty. A course without a conversation about your work remains theory.

Example learning objectives for a VOP

This is a fictional example of what a course for a VOP should cover at a minimum. It concerns the tasks that belong to the appointment.

Learning objective	How you demonstrate it
Recognise the risks of the machine	You name the risks when resetting and what you do if something goes wrong
Carry out the reset action without opening the installation	You perform the action under supervision
Know when to stop and report	You give examples of situations in which you call the VP
Repeat the instruction in your own words	You explain the instruction to a colleague

If a course does not have learning objectives that you can test in this way, it is difficult to show later what you have learned.