Coaching and tests for contractors employees

Elia coaching sessions ensure that all contractors’ employees working on or near Elia facilities receive the proper, necessary safety information.

Why do contractors’ employees need to be certified?

We aim to make sure that all contractors’ employees (be they operators or work leaders) working on or in our facilities can carry out their activities safely . This is why it is essential for operators and work leaders to be certified.
To this end, we offer coaching and test sessions for contractors’ employees in a bid to make them aware of the risks they may encounter when working on or near our facilities and give them all the tools they need to keep themselves safe .
If contractors’ employees successfully complete all the stages in the coaching programme and submit the required documents (listed under ‘Registration requirements’), Elia will issue them with a safety certificate in the form of a badge. This badge is mandatory for anyone wishing to access Elia’s facilities and carry out work on or near them .

Operator or work leader?

The programme is tailored to participants’ level of responsibility (operator or work leader) and the work they will be performing on or in Elia’s facilities (one unique profile for operators, three for work leaders).
More details about the work performed by operators and work leaders can be found in the dedicated sections for these roles.

Registration requirements

Contractors’ employees must submit two documents in order to register as operators or work leaders (see the relevant sections for more information). These documents are as follows: a BA4 or BA5 declaration of competence or codification document and a high-quality photograph . The documents should be uploaded when registering online, as explained below. Work leaders for a Full profile must also be able to show their VCA basic attest (or Mase or Sicherheits Certifikat Contraktoren).

  • BA4/BA5 declaration of competence or codification document

    By issuing BA4/BA5 declarations of competence, employers confirm that their employees have the necessary qualifications to work in or near an electrical facility.

    Access to electrical facilities is only granted to employees who have the necessary capacities , as attested by the award of BA4 (aware) or BA5 (skilled) status.

    Employees are awarded BA4 (aware) or BA5 (skilled) status based on their abilities . Their employer determines which status applies to them.

    A BA4/BA5 declaration of competence must include the following information:

    • The name of the company
    • The employee’s name
    • Whether the employee holds BA4 or BA5 status
    • The type(s) of work to which the declaration applies
    • The type(s) of electrical facility to which the declaration applies
    • Details of the training undertaken and/or experience gained by the employee and serving as a basis for the award of BA4 or BA5 status
    • The date of issue of the declaration
    • The validity period of the declaration
    • The employer’s/a manager’s signature

    See our templates:

    1. Place your company’s official header and/or logo here

    2. Name of the person for whom the declaration was issued. NB: We need to have one declaration of competence per person.

    3. Employer or employer’s representative

    4. Name of the person for whom the declaration was issued.

    5. Indicate this clearly: cross out the status that does not apply, circle the status that does apply, etc.

    6. Examples: painting, digging cable trenches, roof work, assembly work, assembling and dismantling scaffolding, pruning vegetation, laying concrete foundations, inspecting facilities, laying raised access flooring, earthworks, connecting energy components (batteries, capacitors), removing asbestos, etc.

    7. For instance: transformers, near high-voltage lines, relay rooms, roofs, on public land, high-voltage substations, lighting systems, low-voltage panels, cabinets, etc., specifying the voltage level is possible. Please note that if you only write “Tielt 150 kV substation”, the declaration will only be valid for Tielt and not for any other HV substations!

    8. For example: subject to medical fitness; if there are any doubts regarding safety, work is to be suspended and a manager is to be notified; instructions issued by Elia staff are to be followed carefully; and so on.

    9. Elia certificates are valid for two years. However, if the validity period of this declaration does not cover the full two-year period, the certificate’s validity period will be affected. The employer may suspend the declaration’s validity at any time if the employee no longer meets the conditions required to hold BA4/BA5 status.

    10. Training undertaken or qualification(s) held by the person, on the basis of which the employer has issued the declaration. For instance, this could be the person’s studies and/or the training courses they have taken, or their experience.

    11. Date and name + signature of the employer or the employer’s representative.

    Download the template

  • Photo
    The photo is used to verify the employee’s identity when they request access to an Elia facility.

    It must meet the following criteria:


How to register

You can register on the website by going into the ‘Operator’ or ‘Work leader’ section and clicking ‘Register’. This is where you should upload your BA4/BA5 declaration and photo.
Once your registration has been approved, you will be sent a confirmation email stating the date, time and location of your coaching/test session.
You should bring the following with you on the day of your session, as you may be refused access otherwise:
  • your own pen or pencil (for the coaching);
  • your identity card or, if you are not Belgian, your passport;
  • confirmation of your registration;
  • VCA basic attest (or Mase or Sicherheits Certifikat Contraktoren).

Furthermore, it is extremely important that you not attend if you feel unwell or have symptoms of COVID-19;

If your company is not listed in our system or if some of the information there is inaccurate, email the relevant information (name, address, VAT number and phone number) to [email protected] so that we can add your company to our system or update your company’s information.

If you have any questions, have a look at our FAQs .
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