NEN 3140 inspection for your AV installation

Under the Arbowet and the Arbobesluit (the Dutch Working Conditions Act and Decree), you as an employer must keep your electrical installations and work equipment safe and have them inspected periodically. NEN 3140 is the accepted standard for doing that and showing it, and many insurers ask for it.

We carry out NEN 3140 inspections on AV installations, audio systems, lighting systems and all the associated electrical components. Inspection, report and, where needed, immediate repair.

NEN 3140 is the Dutch standard for working safely with low-voltage installations (up to 1000V) and contains rules for:

• Periodic inspection of fixed electrical installations
• Inspection of portable equipment (extension cables, leads, portable tools)
• Requirements for the knowledge and designation of staff who do electrical work
• Maintenance and documentation

The Working Conditions Decree requires periodic inspection, and NEN 3140 is how you show you do it properly. How often you have to inspect depends on the risk assessment and usage:

• High risk (heavy industry, intensive use): annually
• Normal risk (offices, hospitality, retail): every 3 years
• Low risk (light office equipment): every 5 years

For AV installations in hospitality we work with a 3-year cycle as standard, with interim visual checks.

Visual inspection: Cables, plugs, connections, housings. Visible damage is reported.

Measurements: Earth resistance, insulation resistance, protective earth conductor, leakage current and risk of contact. With calibrated measuring equipment that we have recertified every year.

Functional test: Testing of residual-current devices, final checks of switchgear and earth-leakage circuit breakers.

Reporting: A written inspection report with inventory, measured values, photos and any items that failed. Ready to hand to your insurer, health-and-safety service or inspectorate.

Labelling: Approved equipment gets a sticker with the inspection date and the next inspection date.

Repair if needed: Failed items can be repaired or replaced straight away, with re-inspection included.

Legal: After an accident or fire, the inspectorate can ask for your latest inspection report. No report means liability that may not be covered by your insurance.

Insurance: Fire and business insurers increasingly ask for proof of periodic inspections. Some policies are invalid without it.

Safety: A faulty earth conductor or a worn cable in a damp environment can literally kill someone. Not hypothetical, it happens every year.

Business continuity: Many faults we find during inspections are small, but would have led to a breakdown within a year. Spotting them early is cheaper than an emergency repair.

We inspect AV and related electrical installations in:

• Hospitality (restaurants, cafés, beach clubs, hotels)
• Retail (shops, signage systems)
• Offices and corporate installations
• Event venues and cultural institutions
• Rented stages and audio equipment

You call or email, we schedule an inspection (often within 2 weeks). Depending on the size, the inspection takes 2 to 8 hours. We work outside opening hours as much as possible so we do not disturb your guests or customers. You receive the report by email within 1 week.

For failed items we make a repair quote, or you have your own electrician do it. After the repair a short re-inspection follows.