What is VCA?

The letters, and who runs the scheme

The law is the Arbowet in the Netherlands, and the well-being act of 4 August 1996 with the Codex in Belgium. VCA is how clients check that you comply with it. In the Netherlands the scheme is managed by SSVV; in Belgium by BeSaCC-VCA vzw, with executive management through vzw Contractor Safety Management.

BeSaCC is not a synonym for VCA. It is a separate, lighter Belgian system for limited risks, and a client asking for one is not asking for the other.

Three personal diplomas, all ten years

After ten years a full re-examination is required, not a refresher course.

Company certification, and the 2026 version

Company levels are VCA*, VCA**, VCA Petrochemie (VCA-P) and VCU for temp organisations. Since 1 July 2026, company certification runs against VCA 2026/6.1, which replaced 2017/6.0; personal diplomas are unaffected. Much of the guidance online still describes the previous version, so check which scheme version a supplier or trainer works to. Scheme version as of September 2026.

The diploma is one question, the instruction another

Chapter 3 of the checklist asks for valid diplomas and, in separate must questions, for company instruction including an onthaal and for instruction on the client site's own rules before work starts there. A Belgian maintenance crew with valid B-VCA and VOL-VCA can still earn a deviation if nothing shows it received this site's permit rules, alarm signals and restricted zones before passing the gate. The guide on VCA safety training across multiple sites covers organising that when crews move weekly.