Working safely with machines training
Machine accidents rarely happen on an ordinary day. They happen during a malfunction, while cleaning or on a new employee’s first day: one hand in a running machine can mean a lost-time injury, an investigation by the Netherlands Labour Authority and an employee who may never return. Yet in many workplaces, machine instruction still consists of shadowing a colleague and signing a form. The law requires more: the Dutch Working Conditions Act (Arbowet) requires employers to provide effective information and instruction to everyone working with work equipment, and the Working Conditions Decree (Arbobesluit) requires machines to be operated only by people who have demonstrably received the necessary instruction. For you as an employer, that means two things: employees who work safely with machines, and evidence that you have arranged the instruction.
Skillcircle’s Working safely with machines training addresses both. In interactive 3D training, employees practise situations you would never want to recreate on the shop floor: using an emergency stop, responding to a malfunction, and starting and stopping safely. In 3D, they can do this as often as needed without putting people or production at risk. This turns the measures in your risk inventory and evaluation (RI&E) and machine safety policy into actions on the shop floor, rather than a form in a personnel file.
You keep track of progress and see which employees have completed the training. Use the module on its own or as part of the complete 3D onboarding and safety training programme.
Safety rules for working with machines
Basic machine safety rules
Every machine has an intended use: know what yours is designed for and use it only for that purpose. Do not wear jewellery, an open jacket or loose clothing near moving parts, and always keep covers and guards closed while working.
Checks before use
Always check the machine before starting it: it must be free of damage and loose parts, with safeguards in place and the emergency stop accessible. If something is wrong, do not start it.
Responding to malfunctions and hazards
Recognise unusual noises, vibrations or loose parts and take them seriously. In an emergency, use the emergency stop immediately. Never repair or restart the machine yourself. Report the problem to a workplace emergency response officer (BHV) or supervisor and wait for instructions.
Locked-out machines
A lock or tag on a machine means: leave it alone. Never remove a lock or tag without authorisation, even if the machine appears to work normally. If a safeguard is missing, do not use the machine and report it immediately.
Evidence for every inspection and audit
The MetaChef portal shows which training each employee has completed, how much time they spent and their knowledge-check scores. Export reports as CSV or PDF, ready to use for the Netherlands Labour Authority, follow-up on your risk inventory and evaluation (RI&E), or audits. This provides a practical way to fulfil the information and instruction requirements of the Dutch Working Conditions Act (Arbowet).
Multilingual safety instruction on any phone
The training works entirely on mobile: no computer, classroom or supervisor is needed. Multilingual instruction makes it accessible to employees with different language and reading levels. The 3D animations also help employees with limited reading skills understand the material. Temporary workers can even complete the training before their first day.
Do your employees work with specific machines or carry out task-specific operations? Combine this module with visual 3D work instructions for instructions tailored to each machine, right at the workstation.
Language support
Multilingual
For everyone
Suitable for limited reading skills
Fully mobile
No computer or classroom needed
Independent
No supervisor required
User analytics
Insight into each employee’s progress
Standalone or modular
Combine exactly what fits
Get started this week
Skillcircle is ready to use: in week one, we set up accounts and the connection to your HR or scheduling system. In week two, the first employees go live. Training then continues, with targeted refreshers wherever the data shows they are needed.
Week 1
Set up
Create accounts and set up the connection to your HR or scheduling system.
Week 2
Go live
The first employees go live.
Ongoing
Keep training
Repeat training for audits, new tasks or after incidents. Use data and feedback to make targeted improvements.
Want to see how it works?
Book a demo and explore the Working safely with machines training for yourself, alongside the rest of the Skillcircle programme.
Frequently asked questions about working safely with machines
Is instruction on working with machines mandatory?
Yes. Article 8 of the Dutch Working Conditions Act (Arbowet) requires employers to provide effective information and instruction about work-related risks and the measures to control them. The Working Conditions Decree (Arbobesluit) adds that machines with specific hazards may only be operated by employees who have been designated and instructed to do so. A diploma is usually not required; demonstrable instruction is. This training provides that instruction and records the evidence for each employee.
Does the training replace our machine-specific work instructions?
No. It provides the foundation for them. The training teaches universal safety principles: respect safeguards, start and stop safely, and never intervene in a running machine. Explain how to operate your particular machines in your own work instructions, for example with visual 3D work instructions at the workstation.
Is the training suitable for agency workers and other temporary employees?
Yes. This is especially important for temporary workers: as the hiring organisation, you are responsible for their safety and instruction, just as you are for permanent employees. Agency workers complete the training on their own smartphone, even before their first day if needed, so they have received safety instruction before working at a machine. No supervisor or scheduled session is needed.
How often should employees repeat the safety instruction?
The Dutch Working Conditions Act (Arbowet) requires information and instruction to be repeated when needed: after an incident or near miss, when a machine is new or modified, or when you notice that employees are forgetting the rules. In Skillcircle, you schedule a refresher with one click for an employee or department and immediately see who has completed it. This keeps instruction up to date instead of limiting it to a one-off session when someone joins.