Summary
The Generieke Poortinstructie (GPI, General Gate Instruction) is a mandatory annual safety training for construction sites in the Netherlands. In November 2024, GPI 7 was introduced with new videos, interactive questions, and an avatar function. Updates in 2025 added artificial intelligence support, browser compatibility improvements, new roles, and more personalized exam feedback. The certificate remains valid for twelve months and is essential for site access.
Context and Scope
This account covers the November 2024 newsletter announcing GPI 7, a clear explanation of what the GPI is, and subsequent release notes from January, July, and August 2025. It includes leadership changes, event references, technical updates, and certificate requirements.
Exhaustive Narrative of Facts
The November 2024 Newsletter
In November 2024, Stichting eX:plain released a newsletter highlighting the launch of GPI 7. The update introduced new videos, updated images, revised exam questions, and additional functionalities to improve knowledge of safety risks.
The key elements included:
- A new introductory video featuring two road workers recounting serious accidents that left them permanently disabled, stressing the importance of vigilance and risk awareness.
- A renewed mandatory basic instruction, shorter and clearer, replacing earlier 3D animations with real footage of colleagues. This version also added a hotspot question type where risks are identified directly on images.
- Ten subjects refreshed with practical videos showing safe and unsafe situations, with expanded question sets to test knowledge more thoroughly.
- The launch of the GPI-avatar, allowing participants to create a personal avatar that provides encouragement or offers additional information during the instruction.
The newsletter also described a leadership change in the Waarborgcommissie (Supervisory Committee) of GC Bouw (Governance Code Construction Safety). Ronald Velsink from Unica and Jeroen Rolink from ProRail stepped down after two years. Their roles were taken over by Willem Schunselaar-Paap of ACTA Group and Coosje Vink of eX:plain.
On 20 November 2024, the GC Bouw Safety Breakfast was held at the Officierscasino in Soesterberg. This event gathered safety specialists and construction professionals to discuss risks and preventive measures, with the GPI team present to emphasize the importance of the instruction.
Finally, it was announced that eX:plain would close from 25 December to 2 January, with limited customer support available in the mornings between 09:00 and 12:00.
Explanations of the GPI
The Generieke Poortinstructie is a compulsory safety instruction required to access many Dutch construction sites. It applies to companies affiliated with the Governance Code Veiligheid in de Bouw (GCVB, Governance Code Safety in Construction).
The GPI must be renewed every twelve months. Delivered online, it includes videos, practical scenarios, and interactive questions. Upon passing the exam, participants receive a digital certificate that serves as proof of compliance at site entry points.
The central aim of the GPI is to create a shared safety language, ensuring that everyone on construction sites recognizes risks and acts responsibly from the outset.
Updates in 2025
In January 2025, release notes documented improvements such as refined hotspot questions, a skip option for avatar timing, the option for administrators to enable WhatsApp for account recovery, and the introduction of Jim, a multilingual AI-powered chatbot supporting eight languages.
In July 2025, changes focused on user management and technical support. “Poortwachters” were renamed “Beheerders” (Administrators), with more granular rights and a new “super-admin” role. Official browser compatibility was confirmed for Firefox, Chrome, Edge, and Safari. User experience improvements were made, and a billing XML bug was corrected.
In August 2025, the avatar was enhanced to provide more regular feedback and to appear on the pass page, where an AI-generated summary using OpenAI GPT-4o was added. Permissions were refined for reminder emails, and candidates gained the ability to review exam feedback afterwards. Companies were also given the option to change email domains in bulk, and the GPI register was updated so surnames no longer included Dutch name prefixes (tussenvoegsels).
Certificate Validity and Costs
The GPI remains mandatory, with certificates valid for twelve months. A GPI credit costs €8.75 plus VAT and covers three exam attempts. Credits also expire after twelve months if not used.
Practical Takeaways
- GPI 7 has been active since November 2024 with new videos, interactive formats, and the avatar function.
- The certificate is valid for twelve months, and renewal is required to maintain access rights to construction sites.
- The cost of participation is €8.75 plus VAT for three attempts, with credits expiring after one year.
- Updates in 2025 introduced AI support, an improved avatar, clearer user permissions, and enhanced technical compatibility.
- Leadership in the GC Bouw Supervisory Committee changed hands in late 2024.
- Events such as the GC Bouw Safety Breakfast reinforce the role of the GPI in promoting safe practices in construction.
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