What does the law say?
Definitions
- VCA
- stands for the Safety, Health and Environment Checklist for Contractors.
- Contractor
- an external employer or self-employed person who performs work in an employer’s establishment, on their behalf or with their consent, under a concluded contract.
- Besacc
- Belgian Safety Criteria for Contractors.
In summary
- VCA is not concrete legislation or a standard, but a checklist / management system providing a uniform and simple way of monitoring.
- It is based on the Well-being Act and the Code.
- The employer/client guarantees for their (sub)contractors; their staff must be trained.
- Aimed at contractors carrying out high-risk activities or working in high-risk environments — especially in the petrochemical sector.
- Training is an important criterion for VCA certification.
Training as a certification criterion
- Operational staff
- VCA Basic Safety diploma.
- Supervisors
- VCA Safety for Operational Supervisors (VOL-VCA) diploma.
- Workers performing high-risk tasks (RTT)
- see Besacc-VCA high-risk tasks.
Legal text
“An employer in whose establishment work is carried out by contractors and subcontractors is required to provide them with the necessary information, to ensure that their workers have received appropriate training and instructions, to see that the contractors comply with their well-being obligations, and to exclude any contractor who fails to comply with these obligations.”
“The employer ensures that every worker receives sufficient and appropriate training specifically aimed at their workstation or function. This training is given in particular on recruitment, on transfer or change of function, and on the introduction or modification of work equipment or new technology. It is adapted to the evolution of the risks and, where necessary, repeated at regular intervals.”