What is VCA?

VCA stands for Veiligheid, Gezondheid en Milieu Checklist Aannemers (Safety, Health and Environment Checklist for Contractors). It is a certification scheme that shows a company works safely and that its employees know the risks on the work floor. VCA is not required by law, but many clients demand it, so in construction and industry it is effectively mandatory.

VCA  is managed by the SSVV  (Stichting Samenwerken Voor Veiligheid, Dutch Foundation for Working Together on Safety). Certification takes place through an accredited body . In the Netherlands and Belgium, VCA has become the standard for safety among contractors and subcontractors who carry out work at clients’ sites.

The scheme originated in the 1990s in the petrochemical industry. Companies such as Shell and Esso wanted assurance that the contractors working on their sites took safety seriously. What began as an internal checklist grew into a widely accepted certification, now managed by the Stichting Samenwerken Voor Veiligheid (SSVV) .

Why is VCA so important?

In many sectors, VCA is not an option but a hard requirement. If you work as a contractor or technical service provider at other companies’ sites, you will almost certainly be asked for VCA. Large clients in industry, construction and engineering do not accept companies that are not VCA-certified.

The reason is simple: safety. Work at industrial sites, construction sites and technical installations carries risks. Falls from height, crushing, electrocution and exposure to hazardous substances are risks that occur every day. VCA helps companies manage these risks systematically and helps employees learn how to work safely.

VCA goes further than preventing accidents, though. It is also about building a safety culture in which everyone, from management to the work floor, treats safety as a priority. An organisation that takes VCA seriously has fewer accidents, less absence and, in the end, lower costs.

The three levels of VCA

VCA has three certification levels for companies, each with its own requirements and areas of application. The right level depends on the nature of your work and the requirements of your clients.

VCA* (one star)

VCA* is the basic level and focuses on direct safety on the work floor. This level suits smaller companies that carry out operational work, such as installers, painters or maintenance engineers.

At VCA*, operational employees and their direct supervisors are assessed. Do they hold the right safety certificates? Are toolbox meetings held? Are there procedures for reporting incidents? The focus is on practice: does the company do what is needed to work safely?

For many small and medium-sized businesses, VCA* is enough. It shows you take safety seriously without the extensive management structure that VCA** requires.

VCA** (two stars)

VCA** goes a step further and also assesses the safety management of the organisation. On top of the operational requirements of VCA*, you must show that safety is embedded in your business operations.

This means, among other things, that you have a safety policy, that management is demonstrably involved in safety, that you carry out risk analyses for your work, and that you work systematically on improvement. VCA** requires documentation, records and a structured approach.

VCA** is common for larger companies and for companies with coordinating tasks on projects. If you direct other contractors or are responsible for safety on a site, VCA** is often the requirement.

VCA Petrochemie

VCA Petrochemie is the highest level and is developed specifically for the petrochemical industry. This level includes all requirements of VCA** plus additional requirements that apply to working in a petrochemical environment.

The petrochemical industry has specific risks: working with flammable and explosive substances, working in confined spaces, complex permit systems and strict emergency procedures. VCA Petrochemie checks whether a company is set up to operate safely in this demanding environment.

This level is only relevant if you actually carry out work in petrochemicals. Think of refineries, chemical plants and storage terminals. Major names in this sector, such as Shell , ExxonMobil  and BASF , routinely require VCA Petrochemie from their contractors.

VCA for employees: B-VCA and VOL-VCA

Alongside company certification, VCA also has personal certificates. These diplomas show that an individual employee has knowledge of working safely. For many roles these diplomas are mandatory, both for clients and for the VCA certification of the company itself.

B-VCA (Basic Safety)

B-VCA is the basic diploma for operational employees. The exam tests fundamental safety knowledge: recognising hazards, using personal protective equipment, handling emergencies, and working safely at height and with electricity.

The B-VCA exam consists of 40 multiple-choice questions, of which you must answer at least 28 correctly. The questions are practical and relate to everyday risks on the work floor. You can prepare with a course or self-study using the official study material .

The B-VCA diploma is valid for ten years. After that, you must sit the exam again to renew it. There is no refresher exam; you take the full exam again.

VOL-VCA (Safety for Operational Supervisors)

VOL-VCA is intended for supervisors who are responsible for the safety of a team. In addition to the basic knowledge from B-VCA, VOL-VCA also tests knowledge of risk inventory, giving safety instructions, supervising safe working, and handling incidents.

The VOL-VCA exam is more extensive than B-VCA: 70 multiple-choice questions, of which you must answer at least 49 correctly. The questions are more complex and ask you to apply your knowledge to practical situations.

VOL-VCA is often a requirement for foremen, work planners, project managers and other roles with supervisory tasks. Directors of smaller companies also often take VOL-VCA to show they can ensure safety in the company.

VIL-VCU

VIL-VCU stands for Veiligheid voor Intercedenten en Leidinggevenden van Uitzendorganisaties (Safety for Intermediaries and Supervisors at Temporary Employment Agencies). This diploma is specifically for staff at temporary employment agencies that place temporary workers at VCA-certified companies.

The exam focuses on the specific responsibilities of temporary employment agencies: selecting suitable candidates, checking safety diplomas, informing temporary workers about risks, and cooperating with the client company that hires them.

VCU: VCA for temporary employment agencies

Alongside VCA for contractors, there is VCU, the Veiligheid en Gezondheid Checklist Uitzendorganisaties (Safety and Health Checklist for Temporary Employment Agencies). VCU is the variant of VCA developed specifically for temporary employment agencies and staffing companies that send personnel to VCA-certified clients.

The idea behind VCU is that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If a client requires contractors to be VCA-certified, but the temporary workers supplied by an agency have never received safety training, a gap appears in the safety chain.

VCU sets requirements for the selection process for temporary workers, the checking of safety diplomas, and cooperation with client companies. To find out exactly what VCU involves, who it is for and what it costs, read the page on VCU certification.

Which companies need VCA?

VCA is relevant to almost any company that carries out physical work at other companies’ sites. The sectors where VCA is most common are construction, industry and technical services, but its scope is broader.

In construction, VCA is standard. Main contractors require it from subcontractors, and large clients require it from all parties on the building site. Whether you lay foundations, install systems or do finishing work, VCA will sooner or later come your way.

In industry, VCA is often a hard condition. Factories, manufacturing companies and distribution companies want to be sure that external parties working on their premises know and follow the safety rules. This applies to maintenance, cleaning, logistics and all other services carried out on site.

Petrochemicals have the strictest requirements. Working at refineries, chemical plants or storage terminals requires not only VCA Petrochemie but often also additional certifications and training specific to the location.

Technical service providers such as installation companies, electrical engineering firms and maintenance companies almost always need VCA. Their work takes them to client sites, where they must meet the client’s safety requirements.

Cleaning companies, security companies and other facility service providers are also increasingly faced with VCA requirements, especially when they work in industrial or logistics environments.

The difference from ISO 45001

VCA is sometimes confused with ISO 45001, the international standard for occupational health and safety. Although both are about safety, there are important differences.

VCA focuses specifically on contractors who work at clients’ sites. The checklist is practical and concrete: are the diplomas in order, are toolbox meetings held, are incidents reported? VCA grew out of practice and has stayed focused on that.

ISO 45001 is a broader management system for occupational health and safety. It requires a systematic approach to safety and health across the whole organisation, including risk analysis, objectives and continuous improvement. ISO 45001 is not specifically aimed at contractors and can be applied by any organisation.

In practice, many companies have both. VCA because clients ask for it, and ISO 45001 as part of an integrated management system together with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. The two fit well together: a company that has ISO 45001 meets many of the management requirements of VCA**.

Read the detailed comparison of VCA vs. ISO 45001 for more details. Or see the difference from the Veiligheidsladder (Safety Ladder) if you work in infrastructure.

Costs and lead time

The costs and lead time for VCA certification depend on the level and the size of your company. VCA* is faster and cheaper than VCA**, and a small company is certified more quickly than a large organisation.

For a small company with 5 to 10 employees, you can expect total costs of €2,000 to €5,000 for VCA* and a lead time of 1 to 3 months. For VCA**, costs are higher, typically €4,000 to €10,000, and the process takes longer.

The annual costs after certification consist of the audit by the certification body and the maintenance of the system. Plan for €1,500 to €3,000 per year, depending on the level and the size of the company.

Read more about costs and timeline for a detailed overview.

How does certification work?

The VCA certification process broadly follows these steps. You start by getting the safety diplomas of your employees in order. Then you set up the required procedures and records. After that comes the audit by an accredited certification body.

The audit consists of a documentation review and a practical assessment. The auditor checks whether your documentation meets the requirements and visits one or more work locations to see how safety is applied in practice.

If the result is positive, you receive the certificate, which is valid for three years. Each year the auditor returns for an interim audit to check that you still meet the requirements.

The step-by-step plan takes you through the whole process.

Get started

Sources

• SSVV, Stichting Samenwerken Voor Veiligheid  (official scheme manager of VCA)
• NEN, standards and certification 
• Kiwa, certification body 
• DNV, certification body