SCIOS Scope 9: inspection of electrical work equipment under NEN 3140

SCIOS Scope 9 is the scope within the SCIOS scheme for electrical work equipment. That means tools and devices you plug into a socket or an extension cord. According to SCIOS , the inspection for Scope 8 and 9 is based on NEN 3140 and follows a fixed inspection plan. You choose Scope 9 if you want a certified company to carry out the inspection and you want to be able to show the report. The method of the inspection is on the inspection page. Compare the scope itself with Scope 8 and Scope 10.

Scope 9 covers tools and devices. Scope 8 covers the fixed installation. Do not confuse the two when ordering an inspection, because they produce different reports.

The three scopes side by side

SCIOS places scopes 8, 9, 10 and 12 under the heading Electrical Equipment. Scope 12 covers solar power installations and is not considered here. The other three cover different things.

Scope	Name on SCIOS	What it covers	Page
8	Electrical installations	The fixed installation in your premises, focused on safe working	Scope 8
9	Electrical work equipment	Tools and devices with a plug	This page
10	Electrical equipment	Fire risk of electrical equipment, according to NTA 8220	Scope 10

If you want both a fixed installation and tools inspected, you usually need two inspections. These are two different documents.

What Scope 9 does and does not cover

Scope 9 looks at each device you use separately. Think of an angle grinder, a drill, an extension cord, a coffee machine in the canteen or a saw on the shop floor.

Scope 9 does not look at the fixed installation. That falls under Scope 8. Scope 9 also does not look at the fire risk of equipment. That falls under Scope 10.

The inspection itself consists of a visual check, a measurement and a function test. The method is on the inspection page.

How often do you inspect under Scope 9?

SCIOS does not set a fixed interval for Scope 9, and neither does the Arbobesluit (Dutch Working Conditions Decree). Article 7.4a requires inspection “as often as is necessary to guarantee the good condition”. The Arboportaal (Dutch occupational health portal) mentions once a year as a safe minimum. You record the interval per group of devices in your inspection schedule or in your risk inventory and evaluation (RI&E).

Agree the interval with the inspection company and base it on risk. A device used every day on a building site usually needs a shorter interval than an office machine.

Example of an inspection schedule

This is a fictional example. The intervals are the company’s own choice, not a requirement. An example with a justification per category is on the inspection page.

Device group	Example	Interval	Inspector	Recording the result
Construction hand tools	Drill, angle grinder	Every 6 months	Certified company	Register with device number
Extension cords	Cable reels and cords	Every 6 months	Certified company	Label with date on the cord
Office and canteen	Coffee machine, microwave	Every 3 years	Certified company or own VP	Register with date

The schedule shows which devices belong to which interval. That is what an auditor or inspector wants to see.

What you want to see in the report

The scope in the title, so it is clear that this is Scope 9.
For each device, a number, the type, the date and the result.
For a failed device, the reason and what happens next.
The name of the inspector and the company’s certificate number.
A link to your inspection register, so the evidence forms one whole.

Common mistakes

Ordering a Scope 8 inspection when you want your tools inspected.
Having a report made without the scope in the title.
Not numbering devices, so you cannot later prove which device was inspected.
Not removing failed devices from use.

Frequently asked questions

Is Scope 9 mandatory?

Scope 9 is not a legal obligation. The law does require inspection of work equipment, see Is NEN 3140 mandatory?. Scope 9 is a way to have that inspection carried out by a certified company.

Can my own inspector do Scope 9?

A company employee with a designation inspects according to your own working method. That is not an inspection by a SCIOS-certified inspection company. Ask in advance whether your client or insurer accepts that. For what an inspector must be able to do, see NEN 3140 inspector.

What does a Scope 9 inspection cost?

That depends on the number of devices and your region. See the costs page for price indications.

May I combine Scope 8 and Scope 9?

Yes, if the company is certified for both scopes. Ask the inspection company for two separate reports, so the fixed installation and the tools can be checked separately.

How do you choose an inspection company for Scope 9?

Check that the company holds a SCIOS certificate for Scope 9, and not only for another scope.
Ask for a sample report and check whether each device is listed on its own line.
Ask how they handle devices that fail: who decides, and what happens to the device.
Ask which measuring equipment they use and how it is calibrated.
Ask whether the company also keeps the register, or only supplies the report.

A good company can answer these questions. A company that stays vague gives you little support if you later have to defend the report.