What a site safety plan (VGM / PSS) contains and when clients ask for one

When a client asks for one

VCA is a safety checklist and certification scheme for contractors, widely used in Belgium and the Netherlands. It is a private scheme, not a law. Many industrial sites and main contractors still make it a condition of entry, and they ask for a plan for each job.

The plan goes by different names. In Dutch it is a VGM plan, in French a plan particulier de sécurité et de santé (PSS), and in English a project safety, health and environment plan. This article is practical guidance, not legal advice.

Expect the request at pre-qualification or at the kick-off meeting. Some clients want the plan approved before a start date is confirmed, so ask early what they need and how long approval takes.

The legal frame, in general terms

The Belgian well-being at work act requires clients and contractors to exchange information about risks and to coordinate their work. A royal decree adds specific rules for temporary or mobile construction sites, including the role of a safety coordinator.

Workers posted from abroad normally need a certificate showing which social security system applies (the A1 certificate) and a Limosa declaration for work in Belgium. Which rules apply to your job depends on the site and the workers, so ask the client or the safety coordinator.

People, work and contacts

The first part of a plan answers who and what. It lists the contacts at the client and at the contractor, and the emergency numbers and assembly points for the site.

It then names the people who will be on site, with their qualifications and training. Finally it describes the work: what will be done, how long it will take and what the main sub-tasks are.

Keep the list of people current. If a technician is replaced, the plan is updated, and the new person is briefed on the site rules before starting.

Tools, equipment and products

The plan lists the tools and equipment that will be used, with their inspection status. This covers items such as access platforms, lifting equipment, electrical tools and welding sets. A tool without a valid inspection should not be on site.

Chemical products are listed as well, and their safety data sheets are attached. Sealants, solvents, cleaning products and cutting fluids all count.

Where equipment is rented or brought by another firm, the inspection records still need to be on hand. The site safety officer may ask to see them at the gate.

The task risk analysis

The risk analysis is the core of the plan. Each sub-task is examined for hazards, such as work at height, electrical contact, falling objects, hot work or confined spaces.

A common way to score risk is the Kinney method. It multiplies exposure, probability and severity to give a risk level. The score is given twice, before and after the control measures, so the reader can see what each measure achieves.

A good analysis is specific to the site. A copied analysis from another project is easy to spot, and it does not help the people who are doing the work. Name the real hazards: the live equipment nearby, the traffic, the floor, the height, the neighbouring trades.

• Describe the sub-task and its hazard
• Score the risk before measures
• Define the measures: eliminate the hazard, protect collectively, then use personal protection
• Score the remaining risk

Permits, prevention and annexes

Many sites require a permit before certain work starts. Typical examples are hot work, work at height, confined space entry and lock-out/tag-out of equipment. The plan states which permits apply and who issues them.

The general prevention measures cover personal protective equipment, collective protection such as guardrails and exclusion zones, housekeeping, and the emergency procedure. Certificates, training records and data sheets go in the annexes.

Permits are usually valid for a limited time and a defined area. Do not start before the permit is signed, and do not continue after it has expired. The site tells you who must sign.

How we handle it

I.G. Solutions is VCA compliant. We supply our safety plan and our certificates before work starts, so the client can check them during pre-qualification and not on the first morning on site.

If your site has its own template or portal, tell us early. We fill in your format and list the specific risks of the job, instead of sending a generic document.

Before a start, we also brief our technicians on the plan, so the people on the floor know the contents, not only the people at the desk.