Is a NEN 3140 inspection mandatory?

NEN 3140 is not a law in itself, but in practice the inspection is essential. Under the Dutch Working Conditions Act (Arbowet) and Working Conditions Decree (Arbobesluit), employers are required to have electrical work equipment inspected periodically. You must be able to demonstrate that your employees work with safe tools and machines. NEN 3140 is the recognised standard for meeting that obligation.

Skipping the inspection can have serious consequences. In the event of an accident, the Netherlands Labour Authority and the insurer will check, among other things, whether the equipment was inspected in accordance with NEN 3140. If it was not, your company may be held liable.

A timely inspection shows that you have done everything possible to meet the safety requirements. Van Dulst carries out NEN 3140 inspections on site, throughout the Netherlands.

Back to Frequently asked questions about inspections

What does the NEN 3140 inspection apply to, and which machines must be inspected?
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What is the NEN 3140 inspection for?
The NEN 3140 inspection applies to power tools, such as drilling machines. Its purpose is to demonstrate that the equipment is safe to work with.
Why is inspection important?
If an accident happens on a construction site, the investigation will ask whether the machine used was inspected and tested. If it was not, your company is in a weak position. How often inspection is required varies from company to company. Many companies do it annually, but some clients require a much higher frequency.
What is tested?
- Leakage current: no voltage may pass from the motor to the outside of the machine, so the user can never come into contact with live parts.
- Visual inspection: are there any loose parts, is the cable undamaged and is the plug in good condition?
If everything is approved, you receive a report and can get back to work safely.
Which machines must be inspected?
In principle, all electrical machines must be inspected. Please note: this also applies to cordless tools. The cordless machine itself runs on a low voltage, but the charger runs on mains voltage and must be inspected.
Van Dulst takes care of inspecting your tools, so you can be sure you meet the requirements.
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Which inspections does Van Dulst carry out?
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Van Dulst carries out inspections of power tools, climbing equipment, lifting equipment and fall protection. This way, you can be sure your work equipment is safe and meets the requirements.
- NEN 3140: inspection of power tools and machines. In addition to the standard inspection, we offer a NEN 3140 Plus inspection, in which we also check the technical condition and fix minor defects straight away.
- NEN 2484: inspection of ladders, steps, scaffolding and other portable climbing equipment.
- NEN-EN 818: inspection of lifting equipment, such as lifting chains, chain slings and other chain components.
- NEN-EN 361 and NEN-EN 363: inspection of fall protection equipment, such as safety harnesses, lanyards, energy absorbers and complete fall arrest systems.
Our specialists carry out inspections on site, throughout the Netherlands. Afterwards, you receive complete documentation with inspection reports, test results and certificates. Together with you, we draw up an inspection programme that suits your organisation, from a one-off check to a multi-year maintenance plan.
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Is a NEN 3140 inspection mandatory?
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NEN 3140 is not a law in itself, but in practice the inspection is essential. Under the Dutch Working Conditions Act (Arbowet) and Working Conditions Decree (Arbobesluit), employers are required to have electrical work equipment inspected periodically. You must be able to demonstrate that your employees work with safe tools and machines. NEN 3140 is the recognised standard for meeting that obligation.
Skipping the inspection can have serious consequences. In the event of an accident, the Netherlands Labour Authority and the insurer will check, among other things, whether the equipment was inspected in accordance with NEN 3140. If it was not, your company may be held liable.
A timely inspection shows that you have done everything possible to meet the safety requirements. Van Dulst carries out NEN 3140 inspections on site, throughout the Netherlands.
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How often must power tools be inspected according to NEN 3140?
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How often power tools need to be inspected depends on the type of tool and the environment in which it is used. Tools used intensively and in harsh conditions, such as on a construction site, wear faster and need to be inspected more often than tools used occasionally in a workshop.
In practice, at least once a year is the common guideline. Some clients set stricter requirements and ask for a higher inspection frequency.
Please note: an inspection is always a snapshot. That is why you should also check your tools yourself before each use for visible damage to, for example, the cable, plug or housing.
Not sure which frequency applies to your organisation? Van Dulst's specialists will work with you to draw up an inspection programme that suits your situation.
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How often must ladders, steps and scaffolding be inspected according to NEN 2484?
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In practice, ladders, steps and (mobile) scaffolding must be inspected at least once a year. This annual inspection is included in the VCA checklist, among others, and the Netherlands Labour Authority uses NEN 2484 as its assessment framework for enforcement.
During the inspection, the climbing equipment is checked for, among other things:
- Deformation and cracking
- Wear and the condition of the rungs or treads
- The locking mechanisms and the functioning of the connections
- The condition of the ladder feet
In addition to the annual inspection, it is important that users check the climbing equipment themselves before each use. If a ladder or step is damaged or has been rejected, remove it from the workplace immediately so that no one uses it by mistake.
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How often must lifting equipment be inspected according to NEN EN 818?
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Lifting equipment, such as lifting chains and chain slings, must be inspected by an expert at least once a year. This period is laid down in Article 7.20 of the Dutch Working Conditions Decree (Arbobesluit). NEN-EN 818 describes the requirements for the chains themselves and serves as the assessment framework for the inspection.
The inspection checks whether the lifting equipment can still be used safely. Where necessary, the lifting equipment is also load tested.
In addition, it is important that the user visually checks the lifting equipment for wear and damage before each use. If lifting equipment is used intensively or in harsh conditions, it may be wise to have it inspected more often.
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Is the inspection of lifting equipment mandatory?
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Yes. The inspection of lifting equipment is a legal requirement. Article 7.20 of the Dutch Working Conditions Decree (Arbobesluit) requires lifting equipment to be examined by an expert at least once a year to ensure it is in good condition, and to be load tested where necessary.
As an employer, a number of other obligations also apply:
- Never load lifting equipment beyond its permitted working load limit.
- Store lifting equipment in such a way that it cannot be damaged.
- Keep a record of the inspections carried out.
For companies with a VCA certificate, the annual inspection of lifting equipment is also a requirement.
Van Dulst inspects lifting chains, chain slings and other chain components in accordance with NEN-EN 818. After the inspection, you receive a complete overview with test results, inspection reports and certificates. If lifting equipment fails the inspection, we can often repair it straight away.
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