IV, WV, VP, VOP and Leek — roles and the written appointment

NEN 3140 does not leave the division of roles open to interpretation: who is allowed to carry out which electrotechnical action is fixed and must be recorded in writing. This is exam material that is often underestimated, even though it forms the basis of every safety question.

The five roles

Role	Abbreviation	Meaning	Authority
Installation-responsible person	IV	Ultimately responsible for the electrical installation within the organisation	Formally appoints VP/VOP in writing, establishes work instructions, is the point of contact in the event of incidents
Work-responsible person	WV	Responsible for a specific job or task	Gives clearance to start the work, oversees compliance during execution
Skilled person	VP	Sufficient training, experience and knowledge to independently assess and carry out electrotechnical work	May work independently on de-energised installations; live working (WOS) is only permitted with a separate, specific WOS appointment on top of the regular VP appointment (see live working)
Instructed person	VOP	Instructed for specific, clearly defined actions	May only perform the designated actions, under supervision or according to a fixed instruction
Layperson	—	No electrotechnical training or instruction	May not carry out any electrotechnical actions, only operate equipment intended for laypersons

A handy rule of thumb: VP assesses, VOP carries out a fixed action, Leek does neither.

The written appointment — legal basis

The appointment is not an internal formality but a legal obligation:

Arbobesluit artikel 3.5 requires the employer to formally appoint, in writing, anyone working on electrical installations as VP or VOP, stating the scope of their authority.
Bepaling 4.2.101 (the Dutch national addition to NEN 3140/NEN-EN 50110-1) elaborates on this further: the appointment must be tied to the individual person, must specify the permitted activities, and must be reviewed periodically (for example after a change of role or following an incident).
Without a written appointment, a person is not legally a VP or VOP, regardless of diplomas or experience — the appointment itself is the evidence, not the underlying competence.

What a written appointment form contains

A written appointment form (sometimes a temporary appointment for a course, exam or short-term assignment) is always tied to a specific individual and, regardless of which organisation's template is used, generally contains the same core elements:

Element	Content
Identification	Name, job title, department/employer of the appointee
Start date and validity period	From when the appointment applies, and until when — an appointment with no end date, or with a date that has passed, is no longer valid
Type of appointment	VP or VOP — stated explicitly, not inferred from the job title
Installation(s) the appointment covers	The appointment is tied to a specific installation or group of installations, not "all electrical work in the company"
Activities the appointment covers	Which type of actions are permitted — a VOP appointment lists fixed, clearly defined actions here; a VP appointment can be broader
Restrictions	Any explicit limits, for example "only under supervision", "only up to a given voltage level", or "only in the presence of the installation-responsible person"
Equipment received	Confirmation of which PPE and tools (voltage tester, dummies, padlock, warning sign, gloves, safety glasses) the appointee has received
Signatures	From the person granting the appointment (on behalf of the IV/management) and from the appointee themselves — an appointment without both signatures is not legally valid

For a temporary appointment (for example during a course or exam), the validity period is often limited to a single day or session, and the stated restrictions (such as "only under the supervisor's oversight") apply more strictly than for a regular, ongoing appointment on the shop floor.

Hierarchy of standards: from framework directive to practical norm

Exam candidates are often asked where a given rule "comes from". The hierarchy:

Kaderrichtlijn 89/391/EEG (EU) — the general obligation on employers to provide safe working conditions.
Arbeidsomstandighedenwet (Arbowet), artikel 3 — translates this into Dutch legislation: the employer is responsible for the safety and health of employees.
Arbeidsomstandighedenbesluit (Arbobesluit), artikel 3.4 and 3.5 — concrete requirements for electrical work equipment and the mandatory appointment of VP/VOP.
Arbeidsomstandighedenregeling (Arboregeling) — further technical detail.
NEN 3140 / NEN-EN 50110-1 — the harmonised practical standard through which companies give substance to the Arbowet obligation (not mandatory in itself, but the accepted "how" for complying with the Arbobesluit). NEN 3140 applies to low voltage (≤ 1000 V AC); the sibling standard NEN 3840 fulfils the same role for high voltage.

NEN 1010 versus NEN 3140

A classic point of confusion in the exam:

NEN 1010 sets requirements for the design, construction and commissioning of a low-voltage electrical installation — the installation as it must be.
NEN 3140 sets requirements for working safely on and with an existing electrical installation or item of electrical equipment — how you handle, inspect and maintain it safely.

In short: 1010 builds, 3140 works. An installation correctly constructed according to NEN 1010 can still be used unsafely if NEN 3140 is not followed — and conversely, the best working practice offers no protection against an installation that does not comply with NEN 1010.

A third standard that is often left out of this list: NEN 4010 governs the safety inspection of existing low-voltage installations whose origin or documentation is unclear — typically when selling a home, arranging insurance, or a mortgage inspection, where no complete NEN 1010 commissioning file is available. Where NEN 1010 checks against the design and NEN 3140 checks against safe working practice, NEN 4010 provides a practical assessment framework for an installation whose construction history you don't know.