As a construction professional, you will surely recognize this: safety requirements in tenders are becoming stricter, clients want insight into how work is being carried out on the construction site, and supply chain partners expect you to demonstrably organize safety well. Often, this means Level 3 on the Safety Culture Ladder (SCL). However, not every company has the capacity, size, or time to immediately undergo a full SCL audit. Fortunately, that is not always necessary. With the SCL Light and the SCL Light for small organizations, there are two accessible variants that align perfectly with the way many small and medium-sized construction companies operate in practice.

What exactly is the SCL light?

The Safety Culture Ladder assesses how safety truly takes shape within an organization. Not just in rules, but primarily in what actually happens on the construction site. How teams collaborate, how openly risks are communicated, whether colleagues dare to address each other, and whether incidents are used to learn. The SCL light is the ‘entry-level version’ of this system. You do not receive a certificate, but a statement with a step indication (up to and including step 3). This makes it lighter than the full SCL, but still a recognized and reliable means of proof for many tenders.

For construction companies with up to 50 employees, including hired staff and subcontractors, an additional product has been available since June 1, 2025: SCL Light for small organizations. This variant is designed to be even more practical and specifically developed to keep administrative burden and costs to a minimum.

Key features:

• Reduced audit burden: approximately 40% of a full audit;
• Maximum level 3: that is precisely the level most frequently requested in the construction industry (e.g. for the ViA, Safety in Tendering (Dutch: Veiligheid in Aanbesteding). The ViA requirement is stricter from level 2 to level 3 as of July 1, 2026, and a minimum of SCL light is required for this);
• You work with an action plan: aimed at concrete improvements in your safety culture;
• The statement is valid for 3 years.

What does an SCL light track entail?

The premise of SCL light is simple: the audit focuses on behavior in practice, not on thick manuals. In the first year, the auditor accompanies staff on the construction site, speaks with employees, and observes how processes, communication, and collaboration manifest in daily work. This makes the audit approximately forty percent of a full SCL audit. The subsequent years revolve around improvement. You establish SMART behavioral goals, concrete steps to reinforce safe behavior, and demonstrate what has become visible within the organization.

For the special variant for small organizations, the audit in year three can even be waived if the organization meets all criteria in the first two years. The statement remains valid for a total of three years.

What is the difference between the SCL light, SCL light for small organizations, and the original SCL?

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Who is the SCL light intended for?

SCL light is particularly suitable for:

• Small and medium-sized construction companies that want to work on safety but have limited capacity for full annual audits.
• Builders subject to ViA requirements and who must demonstrate level 3.
• Organizations with many subcontractors, where a shared basis in safe behavior is essential.
• Construction companies that want to grow into SCL later, but first want to get their foundation in order.

You gain a clear view of what is already going well and where the areas for improvement lie.

Why do construction companies choose SCL light?

Construction companies primarily choose SCL light because it aligns with daily practice. In addition, SCL Light helps with:

• Demonstrating step requirements in tenders;
• Reducing administrative burden;
• Insight into strengths and areas for improvement within your safety culture;
• Strengthening safety on the construction site.

What does it yield for your construction organization?

Due to the lighter audit burden, SCL Light is feasible for companies facing capacity constraints that still wish to meet the tier requirements. You gain a clear view of what is already going well and where the areas for improvement lie. It clarifies which agreements are being adhered to effectively and where risks remain. This helps to make more targeted improvements, but also to demonstrate in tenders that you structurally safeguard safety. Additionally, SCL Light strengthens collaboration with subcontractors: roles and expectations become clearer and risks are discussed earlier, which benefits the quality and safety of the work.

How VeiligWerk can provide support with this

Although SCL Light focuses less on paperwork, it does require visible behavior, clear communication, and well-documented agreements. This is precisely where VeiligWerk can play a role. The app makes reports accessible and visible, supports task allocation and responsibilities, and keeps important information organized. These are exactly the elements auditors want to see from an organization where a safety culture is alive, not just on paper, but especially in practice.

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