European Construction Industry Federation European Federation of Building and Woodworkers

Paritarian Social Funds in the Construction Industry

CNAC/NAVB

Comité National d’Action pour la sécurité et l’hygiène dans la construction / Nationaal Actiecomité voor Veiligheid en Hygiëne in het Bouwbedrijf

COUNTRY

BELGIUM
Type of fund
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

ADDRESS

Rue Royale 132/4, BE - 1000 Bruxelles

WEBSITE

CONTACT

Mr. Carl Heyrman (General Director)
Tel : +32 (0)2 552 05 00 - Carl.heyrman@navb.be

General Information Employee Group Covered Eligibility Benefits Training Framework Teaching products Information dissemination

GENERAL INFORMATION

Presentation

 

The social partners of the Joint Committee for Construction established the National Action Committee for Occupational Safety and Health in Construction (CNAC) in 1965.

 

Managed for 12 years as Department Safety Fund Existence of construction workers (FSE), it became independent on 20 March 1977 and works as a service organization jointly managed by employers and construction workers.

 

Their mission consists of:

  • Giving practical advice and legal opinions
  • Identifying hazards and deficiencies in the prevention of occupational accidents, safety, protection, hygiene and comfort
  • Informing other services and people of certain situations and seeking their response as appropriate
  • Supporting and guide any organization and conduct of the coordination of site safety
  • Organizing information sessions and training
  • Ascertaining the existence and effectiveness of prevention methods and inform
  • Collecting and disseminate all appropriate means and propaganda to promote adequate safety and hygiene
  • Taking all initiatives to achieve its goals, including working with other official bodies or organs, persons and organizations that are there to promote safety and hygiene.

 

Board composition

A representative of employers and workers alternately chairs the CNAC for a period of 3 years.
The board of directors consists of 14 directors, equally composed of 7 representatives of employers and 7 representatives of workers.
The organizations represented in the CNAC are Bouwunie, Central General FGTB, CGSLB, and Construction confederation, CSC Building and Industry, FEMA.

 

Regulatory framework

  • The Royal Decree of 25th January 2001 regarding temporary and mobile workers on sites.

Employee Group Covered

All employees of the construction industry

Eligibility

Immediate eligibility upon 1st day at work

Benefits

  • General and Legal advice regarding the workers and the employers of the building industry

Through the intervention of its 20 advisers on construction sites, in workshops and building companies, the CNAC provides direct and permanent contact in the workplace.  Direct actions on sites are supplemented by general and legal advice on safety and health at work in the form of publications and information and by organizing or participating in study days, meetings and campaigns information, exhibitions as well as the development of training programs and internal and external study programs nationally and internationally.

  • Training on safety coordination

A Level A coordinator must be appointed if the coordination structure is established and if the work lasts more than 5000 “man-days” or if work exceeds € 2.5 million excluding VAT and if three or more contractors performing work simultaneously.

A B-level coordinator must be appointed if a safety plan and comprehensive health is established and that no coordination structure is created and if the work lasts more than 500 “man-days” or if high-risk work is held.

A D-level coordinator must be appointed if the site area measures less than 500 m².
An E-level coordinator should be appointed if the site area measures less than 500 m² and that the period of work lasts less than 500 “man-days” and if the work does not involve high risk.

  • VCA Training

The “VCA” training provides basic knowledge on safety at work; This course is designed for workers and team leaders.  Although delivered in 12 hours, general education is practical, covering large areas faced by construction workers.  “VCA-Security for operations managers” is a training scheme designed for site managers, drivers, and team leaders.  The roles, tasks and missions of the hierarchy are discusses within the training.  The CNAC organizes a monthly meeting to review both the free VCA basic operational frameworks.  In addition, open trainings are frequently planned.

  • Training for work at height

This training consists of three modules.  The first one is dedicated for workers on scaffold; the second one is dedicated to workers who help with assembly, disassembly or adaptation of a scaffold or any person responsible for the workers covered in the first module.  The last module is for workers who assemble, disassemble or adjust a scaffold or any person responsible of the workers covered in the second module.

Training framework

Period of training

  • VCA Basic Safety at work involves 12 hours of classes dispatched on one and half day.
  • VCA for operations managers involves 20 hours of classes dispatched on 3 days or 6 and half days.
  • Training on safety coordination at work involves 150 to 12 hours courses depending on the levels of training:

Level A: 150 hours training 
Level B: 80 hours training + 8 hours Planning 
Level D: 24 hours training
Level E: 12 hours training

People who obtained the certificate of Chief SHE (prevention adviser) Level II after 5.1.2004 and who wish to exercise the function of coordinator level B should be trained to “the complementary coordinator” involving 30 hours of classes.

 

Exams

All trainings are followed by written exams.

 

Cards & certificates

  • VCA* or limited certification
  • VCA** or general certification

Teaching products

Support study and material provided

All types of medias: CD, DVD, power point presentations, and brochures.

 

How are they financed?

These supports are financed on one hand by the employees and employers’ contributions and on the other hand, by tuition fees (2000-2500€ per course) for the training course on security coordination.

Information dissemination

  • Website
  • Publications freely distributed to the workers
  • General advisors on sites
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