NEN 3140

The Dutch standard for safe operation of low-voltage installations

01 Definition

NEN 3140 is the Dutch standard for the safe operation of electrical installations up to 1000 volts AC. It sets out which people may carry out which operations, how that designation is recorded, and how often equipment and installations have to be inspected. NEN 3840 is its high-voltage counterpart.

02 Why it matters

The standard translates the general duty of care in the Working Conditions Act into concrete requirements. If somebody works on an installation without a valid designation and it goes wrong, the employer is left empty-handed, both towards the labour inspectorate and towards the insurer.

03 In practice

In practice this rarely comes unstuck on the engineering and almost always on the administration. Designations expire, somebody picks up extra tasks without the designation being updated, or the refresher instruction was given three years ago and recorded nowhere. At an audit the question is not whether somebody is capable, but whether you can show that they are authorised. Digital learning records solve that where a folder in a cupboard does not.

04 Related solutions
05 Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an instructed person and a skilled person?
An instructed person may carry out clearly bounded operations for which they have been specifically instructed, replacing a fuse for example. A skilled person has the knowledge and experience to assess risks themselves and work on the installation independently. Both are designated in writing by the employer.
How often does refresher instruction have to take place?
The standard names no fixed interval but speaks of doing it periodically, with practice settling on once every three years. After a change to the installation, after an incident or on taking a new role, refresher instruction is needed sooner, whenever the last one was.
Does an e-learning count as valid instruction?
For the knowledge component it does, provided the content matches your own installation and attendance is recorded per person. For the practical component, assessment at the workplace is needed. The combination works well: digital for the theory and the record, workplace observation for the doing.
06 Related terms

Want to apply NEN 3140 in your own training programme?

We are happy to think along about the approach that fits your installation, your audience and your timeline.

M

Milan

Business development, STARK Learning