VGM plan for contractors with an example
A VGM plan (veiligheid, gezondheid en milieu, meaning safety, health and environment) is the project plan in which a contractor records which risks a project has, which measures it takes and who is responsible for what. In the VCA checklist it is officially called the VGM project plan (question 5.1). It is mandatory for VCA** and VCA Petrochemie, not for VCA*.
A VGM plan is not the same as a V&G plan. The V&G plan is a legal duty of the client for construction works. The VGM plan is your own plan as a contractor, for your work and your subcontractors. Below you can read what VCA requires, see a completed example and learn what the VCA auditor looks for.
Difference between a VGM plan and a V&G plan
The terms sound similar and are often used interchangeably. This table shows the difference.
| VGM plan (VGM project plan) | V&G plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Where does it come from? | VCA checklist, question 5.1 | Working Conditions Decree (Arbobesluit), article 2.28 |
| Mandatory for | VCA** and VCA Petrochemie companies, for projects that meet their criteria | Notifiable construction works and work with special hazards |
| Who writes it? | The contractor | Client (design phase), executing party (execution phase) |
| Covers what? | Your own work plus subcontractors | The whole construction works, all companies on the site |
| Does it include environment? | Yes, the M in VGM | Not mandatory |
| Outside construction? | Yes, also for maintenance in factories and installations | No, construction works only |
In short: the V&G plan is the rulebook for the construction site, and the VGM plan is your VCA evidence that you prepare your projects safely. On a construction project you often need both. Your VGM plan then takes over the relevant hazards from the client’s V&G plan.
When is a VGM plan required under VCA?
VCA leaves part of the choice to you. Under question 5.1, you set your own criteria for which projects need a VGM project plan. Those criteria must be logical and match how VCA defines a project.
The VCA checklist treats something as a project if it meets one or more of these characteristics:
| Project characteristic (VCA definition) | Example |
|---|---|
| Longer than 30 working days and at least 20 people, including subcontractors | Overhaul of a factory installation with your own crew and two subcontractors |
| More than 500 man-days | One year of maintenance with a fixed crew of three |
| Specific high-risk activities | Working in a confined space, even if it lasts two days |
| Any activity you designate as a project yourself | A job for a new client that you want to prepare extra carefully |
An example of a good criterion text is: “A VGM project plan is required for every project under the VCA definition, and for every job involving work at height above 2.5 metres, lifting operations or work in confined spaces.”
What must a VGM plan contain under VCA?
Question 5.1 lists the parts that the plan must contain at a minimum. VCA also requires you to ensure that every plan meets these requirements.
| VCA requirement (question 5.1) | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Project-specific VGM risks and measures, in line with question 2.2 | The task risk analyses for the high-risk tasks of this project |
| VGM organisation | Who is project manager, site supervisor, VGM contact point and BHV member on site |
| Organisation of safety inspections | How often and by whom workplace inspections take place |
| Incident reporting | How employees report incidents and near misses and to whom |
| Signature by the person responsible for the project | Signature and date of the project manager |
Many companies add a few practical sections: project details, contact details of the client, emergency procedure on site, required diplomas and permits, and environmental arrangements such as waste separation.
Example VGM plan: replacing a cooling installation
Below is a fictional, completed VGM plan from an installation company with VCA**. The project: replacing two cooling units on the roof of a distribution centre, with a crane hire company as subcontractor. Use the structure as a template.
1. Project details
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Project | Replacing cooling units on the roof of DC Noord, project number 26-114 |
| Client | Logistics company, contact person facilities manager |
| Duration | 3 weeks, 6 of our own employees and 2 from the crane hire company |
| Reason for VGM plan | Specific high-risk work: working at height, lifting, refrigerants |
2. VGM organisation
| Role | Name | Task |
|---|---|---|
| Project manager | J. Bakker | Ultimately responsible, signs the plan |
| Site supervisor (VOL-VCA) | S. de Wit | Day-to-day management, TRAs, workplace inspections |
| VGM officer | R. Smit | Advice, checks compliance |
| BHV on site | S. de Wit and one fitter | First aid, raising the alarm |
3. Risks and measures
| Risk | Measure | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Falling from the roof | Edge protection at 2 metres from the edge, lanyards required within that zone | TRA-26-114-01 |
| Falling load during lifting | Lifting plan, marked-off lifting area, certified crane operator, qualified slinger | TRA-26-114-02 |
| Release of refrigerant | Recovery by an F-gas certified technician, leak detection | Work instruction KM-03 |
| Lorry traffic on site | Marked-off work zone, traffic controller for deliveries and collections | Agreement with client |
4. Inspections, incidents and instruction
| Topic | Arrangement |
|---|---|
| Workplace inspection | Weekly by the site supervisor, once by management |
| Incidents | Report immediately to the site supervisor, report form within 24 hours, serious injury straight to the project manager |
| Start-up instruction | On day 1 for all employees including the crane hire company, with an attendance list |
| Environment | Old units returned via a licensed processor, refrigerant removed and recorded |
A VGM plan that is the same for every project, with only a different project name, will fail the audit. The auditor looks for risks that really belong to this project.
Discussing the VGM plan with the client
Question 5.2 of the checklist goes a step further. You must demonstrably offer the VGM plan to the client for discussion. Since VCA 2026/6.1, it also requires that the current version is available at the workplace of the client.
For VCA Petrochemie, this is a must-have question. For VCA**, it is an additional question: you must pass at least four of the eight additional questions, but you choose which ones yourself. Read more about this structure on the VCA standard page.
What does the VCA auditor want to see for the VGM plan?
The auditor assesses question 5.1 using documents and on the workplace. Make sure you can show the following:
- The criteria for which projects need a VGM plan
- The requirements for the content of a VGM plan, for example a template
- Recent VGM plans, at least one of which is demonstrably no more than one year old
- How you ensure that every plan meets the requirements, for example a check by the VGM officer
On the project site, the auditor often asks employees about the content. If a fitter does not know which risks are in the plan, the start-up instruction from question 3.6 is not properly arranged.
Frequently asked questions about the VGM plan
Do I need a VGM plan with VCA*?
No, chapter 5 of the VCA checklist does not apply to VCA*. If your client still asks for one, it is a contract requirement and not a VCA requirement. Your TRAs and the instruction on the client’s rules (question 3.6) remain mandatory.
Is a VGM plan the same as a VGM project plan?
Yes. The checklist uses “VGM project plan”, but in practice most people say VGM plan. The older VCA 2017/6.0 also referred to “VGM plan” in question 5.2.
How long should a VGM plan be?
There is no minimum length. For a small project, two to four pages is enough, as long as all the parts from question 5.1 are included.
More information
- V&G plan: what must it contain? - The legal plan for construction works
- Task risk analysis (TRA) - With an example table
- VCA levels - When do you need VCA**?
- VCA audit checklist - What evidence do you prepare?
- VCA checklist 2026/6.1 (SSVV) - The official text