Applying for accreditation as an occupational health department or unit (DSMT)

This initiative is aimed at prevention and protection at work services:

• organised internally within a company (internal prevention and protection at work department – SIPPT);
• or entrusted to an external department (external prevention and protection at work department – SEPPT).

General conditions

• You carry out all or part of your business activities within the  French-speaking region.

Management and staff

You must:

• be led by a chief medical officer who meets the conditions of the Code on Well-being at Work;
• have a multidisciplinary team whose composition, training and services comply with the Code on Well-being at Work;
• organise ongoing training for staff members responsible for health monitoring.

Infrastructure and operation

You must:

• have the material, technical, scientific and financial resources required to carry out your duties;
• ensure that examination centres are accessible to persons with reduced mobility or sensory disabilities, or:
• provide justification for an exemption from this,
• propose alternative solutions;
• draw up and submit an activity report each year by 1 July at the latest;
• respond to requests for inspections by the AVIQ and cooperate with any assessments.

Specific undertakings

You must:

• implement the health priorities defined in the regional plan;
• ensure you are fully independent from any activity relating to providing examining doctors or health checks for insurance purposes.

Health monitoring units must:

• be assisted by a joint committee, composed of employer and staff representatives;
• pass on information relating to that committee’s meetings to the AVIQ by the deadline set by the Government.

You will receive official recognition from the Walloon Region.

1. Check the call for applications

The call for applications is published in the Belgian Official Gazette and is open on a permanent basis. It sets out:

• the conditions to be met,
• the deadline for applying,
• how to connect to the Plasma platform. 

2. Complete the online form

You will need to:

• access the Plasma platform in accordance with the instructions in the call for applications;
• complete the online form;
• attach the requested supporting documents;
• validate and submit the form. By validating the form, you will be officially submitting your application.

3. Receive an acknowledgement of receipt

The AVIQ will send you an electronic acknowledgement of receipt within 15 days after your application is submitted.

4. Complete your application if necessary

If your file is incomplete:

• the AVIQ will notify you of any missing documents within one month.

You will then have one month to submit any additional documents.

If no response is received before the deadline,  your application will be deemed inadmissible.

5. Examination and decision
Once your application is complete:

• the AVIQ has two months from the date of receipt to pass it on to the Minister, along with the AVIQ’s opinion.

The Minister will make a decision within two months of receiving the complete application.

You will be officially notified of the decision.

Applications are free of charge.

Deadlines for the user

• You can submit your application at any time, as the call for applications is open permanently.
• If the AVIQ informs you that your application is incomplete,  you have one month to send the missing documents.
• If this deadline is not met,  your application will be deemed inadmissible.

Processing times

• The AVIQ will send you an acknowledgement of receipt within 15 days after your application is submitted.
• If your application is incomplete, the AVIQ will let you know within one month which documents are missing.
• Once your application is complete, the AVIQ  has two months to pass on your application to the Minister, along with its opinion.
• The Minister will decide on your application within two months of receiving the complete file.

Estimated overall timeframe

• If your application is complete at the time of submission,  the total processing time will be approximately four months.
  This deadline may be extended if further information is requested.

• An excerpt from the minutes of the Board of Directors’ meeting approving the application.
• Proof of the legal representative’s power to act, if not published in the Belgian Official Gazette.
• A  sworn statement certifying that the department is headed by a chief medical officer who meets the legal requirements.
• A description of the physical, technical, scientific and financial infrastructure and resources available.
• If the premises are accessible to persons with reduced mobility:
• a description of these arrangements, with plans or photographs where appropriate.
• If the premises are not accessible:
• a document  justifying the exemption,
• the alternative solutions proposed, in accordance with Article 12/92 of the Walloon Regulatory Code for Social Action and Health.
• A  sworn statement attesting that you are independent from any service providing examining doctors or health checks for insurance purposes.
• Any other useful documents that you consider relevant to your application.

• CRWASS – PART TWO – SECTOR-SPECIFIC PROVISIONS – Title IV. – Health Promotion and Prevention Organizations – CHAPTER 6. – Department or Section for Occupational Health Surveillance – Articles 12/92 through 12/98
• CWASS – Book VI – TITLE 1 – Preliminary CHAPTER: Health promotion measures, including prevention – Preliminary Section – Section 6: Department or Section for Occupational Health Surveillance – Articles 410/48 through 410/54

You may appeal in accordance with the rules of the Walloon Social Action and Health Code.