Article R. 4544-9 of the French Labour Code states that “operations on electrical installations or in their vicinity may only be performed by authorized workers.” Whether these are electrical operations entrusted to qualified electricians or non-electrical operations performed by personnel without specialized qualifications, authorization is mandatory after training at the appropriate levels for the operations performed.
But who is responsible for issuing this authorization? The answer varies depending on the situation and the status of the workers concerned: permanent employees, temporary workers, foreign workers, young people under 18, apprentices, external companies, self-employed workers, or even association volunteers. Each case has its own specifics that must be mastered to ensure everyone’s safety.
First and foremost, contrary to what many people think, it is never the training body that authorizes a professional. The training body delivers the training and assesses competencies — a necessary but not sufficient step in the authorization process.
Summary table of authorization responsibilities
| Situation | Who issues the authorization | Specifics |
|---|---|---|
| Employees | Employer or their representative | Signing of the authorization certificate per NF C18-510 |
| Temporary workers | Host company (EU) | For the duration of the temporary assignment only |
| Foreign workers in France | Employer of the foreign company | Compliance with French regulations mandatory |
| Young people under 18 | Employer | With specific restrictions and prohibitions |
| Students in training | Educational establishment | Preparatory training for future employer authorization |
| Apprentices and interns | Host company | Same rules as other workers |
| External companies | Employer of the external company | Each company’s own responsibility |
| Self-employed workers | No authorization but training mandatory in certain cases | Self-authorization prohibited, equivalent training recommended |
| Association volunteers | No legal obligation | Prevention measures advised |
Table des matières
Electrical authorization for employees
This is the most common scenario. The responsibility for issuing electrical authorization falls on the employer or their representative (who has authority over the worker to whom they assign a task presenting an electrical risk) in strict compliance with the provisions of the NF C18-510 standard.
The employer must ensure that the worker possesses the required competencies, has received the appropriate electrical authorization training (favorable training assessment on the targeted symbols) and is fit (particularly medically) to carry out operations safely. Signing the authorization certificate represents the culmination of this verification process.
Electrical authorization for temporary workers
The temporary work relationship is tripartite: the temporary work agency (Entreprise de Travail Temporaire or ETT) establishes a mission contract with the temporary worker and a placement contract with a host company (the company where the temporary worker will carry out their mission).
While it is the temporary work agency that pays the temporary worker, it is the host company that assumes responsibility for implementing working conditions, including health and safety.
The host company must therefore verify that the temporary worker has received the corresponding training, supplement it if necessary, and then issue an authorization. This prior training falls within the framework of the enhanced safety training required by Article L. 4154-2 of the French Labour Code.
The process requires close coordination between the agency and the host company. The host company must establish a mission request form specifying:
- the characteristics of the position,
- the required qualifications,
- the necessary authorization symbols,
- personal protective equipment.
In return, the agency provides a form detailing the worker’s training, experience and previous authorizations.
The authorization issued by the host company is valid only for the duration of the mission assigned to the temporary worker, highlighting the temporary and specific nature of this authorization.
The cost of electrical authorization training can be covered either by the temporary work agency or by the host company.
Electrical authorization for employees of foreign companies
Foreign companies operating in France face a regulatory adaptation obligation. They must fully comply with French regulations and authorize their workers according to the provisions of the Labour Code, based on the NF C18-510 standard.
This requirement is explained by the absence of a unified European authorization for electrical risk prevention. Although the European standard NF EN 50110-1 exists, it explicitly defers to national legislation on matters of liability and personnel safety.
Electrical authorization for workers under 18
Young workers aged fifteen to under eighteen benefit from special protective measures in the workplace. Certain tasks are strictly prohibited for them. In particular, they may not:
- perform live operations,
- access unsupervised premises presenting a risk of contact with live bare parts, except for Safety Extra Low Voltage (SELV) installations.
If young workers must perform operations on or near electrical installations, they must be authorized by their employer. However, certain authorization levels are de facto impossible for them: B2 B2V (Electrical Work Supervisor), BC (Lockout Supervisor), etc. For this category, for electrical operations, we recommend that the employer issue them B1 B1V authorization.
Electrical authorization for interns and apprentices
They are subject to the same health and safety rules of the Labour Code as other company employees. If they are exposed to an electrical risk during their internship or apprenticeship, the employer must issue them an authorization certificate after ensuring they have completed training on the targeted symbols.
Electrical authorization for students in educational establishments
In technical or vocational educational establishments, students must receive from the school training in electrical risk prevention adapted to the various work situations they will encounter. This training aims to protect them against electrical risks during their learning. However, the school does not issue authorization: only the employer, upon hiring, has this authority.
Heads of establishments must ensure strict compliance with electrical risk prevention rules and prohibitions concerning young people under eighteen, as practical training workshops are subject to the health and safety rules of the Labour Code.
Electrical authorization for employees of external companies
Each external company retains responsibility for the authorization of its own personnel. The host company must nevertheless verify the qualifications of the external companies it employs, check their registration with the appropriate professional registers and verify that their employees hold suitable authorization certificates.
Coordination between companies is mandatory, with the establishment of a written prevention plan for work involving contact with live bare parts at voltages above Extra Low Voltage (ELV).
Electrical authorization for self-employed workers and business owners
Self-employed workers and business owners are in a unique situation: they do not have an employment contract and are therefore in principle exempt from the provisions of the Labour Code. They cannot self-authorize. However, on building and civil engineering sites, they must comply with certain safety measures and demonstrate a level of knowledge equivalent to employed workers: this means they must prove they have completed electrical authorization training at a level corresponding to the operations they perform (electrical operations, non-electrical operations, vicinity work, etc.).
In practice, many clients require an electrical authorization training certificate.
Electrical authorization for volunteers
Association volunteers do not fall under the Labour Code in the absence of a legal subordination relationship with an association. It is nevertheless advisable for associations to apply the same prevention measures as a traditional company and to train people exposed to electrical risk in the course of their volunteer activities.
