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Management exam

RBQ safety management exam

The exam of knowledge in safety management on construction sites covers prevention, compensation files, assessment (premiums) and the Sustainable Development Act. It is the shortest RBQ exam: 1 h 30.

Updated September 27, 2026

Official name: Examination of knowledge in safety management on construction sites

Official duration
1 h 30
From the RBQ’s information sheet.
Pass mark
60%
RBQ sheets and instructions page.
RBQ fee per attempt
$105.27
2026 fee, not refundable.
RBQexam practice form
40 questions
Our practice format. The RBQ does not publish a question count.
Competency profile
4 modules, 33 elements
Profile dated April 29, 2025.
Language
French or English
For English: English titles on the convocation notice, or tell the RBQ 7 days before.

Who must take this exam

  • General contractor: must pass it.
  • Specialized contractor: must pass it.
  • General owner-builder: must pass it.
  • Specialized owner-builder: must pass it.
  • Possible exemption (s. 20): you completed a recognized training program in this field, or you acted as guarantor in this field in the previous 5 years.

Good to know about this exam

  • According to the November 2024 sheet, these are handed out: the workplace accidents Act (A-3.001), the occupational health and safety Act (S-2.1) and the Safety Code for the construction industry (S-2.1, r. 4).
  • A site prevention program is drawn up from 10 construction workers on site at the same time (s. 198) and sent to the CNESST from 20 (s. 200). The 25-worker threshold is the old rule.
  • Regulation S-2.1, r. 10 was repealed on October 1, 2025: do not study it as law in force, even though the sheet lists it as recommended reading.
  • As of September 26, 2026, the RBQ sets the pass mark at 60% for the safety exam (site safety exam); it lasts 1 h 30, according to the November 2024 sheet.
  • How to take the exam: file your licence application with the fees, then the RBQ writes to the guarantor with the exam date, time and office. There is no self-serve calendar.
  • Price: each sitting of the exam costs $105.27 per person (2026 fee), with no refund. A retake also costs $105.27 (2026 fee).
  • Without the exam: a recognized training program in this field, or having been a guarantor in this field within the previous 5 years, can exempt you (s. 20). The article RBQ Licence Without the Exam gives the detail, in the Read next list below.

Modules and elements

The elements of the RBQ competency profile, grouped by module. "Documents provided" means the texts the element relies on are handed out in the exam room.

Module 1: Prevention management

  1. 1.How the CNESST works: mission, public insurer, pay equity
  2. 2.Prevention law: LSST duties, refusal, prime contractor, penaltiesPartly provided
  3. 3.CNESST inspector powers, orders and ways to contestDocuments provided
  4. 4.Define the boundaries of a construction site
  5. 5.Analyse and rank hazards by type of work
  6. 6.Monitor site rules, equipment and PPE use
  7. 7.Investigate incidents, correct, record and report themDocuments provided
  8. 8.Periodic health and safety review of the site
  9. 9.Set up a site prevention structure and safe methods
  10. 10.Coordinate work with safety in mind, especially high-risk tasks
  11. 11.Train and brief workers on site prevention
  12. 12.Roles of safety actors, coordinator and ASP Construction
  13. 13.Build a site prevention program and site committeeDocuments provided
  14. 14.Choose prevention measures, emergency plan and protective gear

Module 2: Compensation management

  1. 15.General rules of the workplace accident ActDocuments provided
  2. 16.Claim procedure, injury types and admissibilityPartly provided
  3. 17.Medical evaluation, review and appeal to the TATDocuments provided
  4. 18.Charging accident costs to employer filesDocuments provided
  5. 19.Return to work, temporary assignment, construction worker rightsDocuments provided
  6. 20.Medical assistance and choice of treating physicianDocuments provided
  7. 21.Income replacement indemnity: first days, amount, duration, endDocuments provided
  8. 22.Other indemnities: bodily harm, death, incidental costsDocuments provided
  9. 23.Rehabilitation rights, programs and suitable employmentPartly provided

Module 3: Assessment (premium) management

  1. 24.Premium rate regimes: unit, personalized, retrospective
  2. 25.Prevention mutual groups and their effect on premiums
  3. 26.CNESST powers on assessments; compliance certificates
  4. 27.Classification units and classification decisionsPartly provided
  5. 28.Registration, instalments, payroll declarations and contesting decisionsPartly provided
  6. 29.Mandatory and optional CNESST coverage, self-employed statusDocuments provided

Module 4: Applying Sustainable Development Act principles

  1. 30.Equity: preventive withdrawal, women's access, inclusive workplacePartly provided
  2. 31.Health and quality of life: harassment policies, work-life balance
  3. 32.Limit environmental harm from storage, traffic and waste
  4. 33.The 16 principles of the Sustainable Development Act

Element titles are our own paraphrases, not the wording of the RBQ profile.

Documents provided and recommended

According to the RBQ information sheet (Mise à jour novembre 2024). Personal notes are not allowed in the exam room.

Handed out in the exam room

Recommended only (not handed out)

RBQ information sheet (Mise à jour novembre 2024), PDF in French (opens in a new tab)

Fees, retakes and validity

  • Each attempt costs $105.27 per person (2026 fee). Exam fees are not refunded.
  • After a failure, you get one retake, requested within 30 days of the notice you receive, with payment. Since March 1, 2026, failing or missing the retake means a 4-month wait.
  • Missing the exam counts as failing it. No postponement is accepted except for a serious reason.
  • A passed exam stays valid for 5 years (s. 17).

What a corrected question looks like

An original question, corrected the way our practice exams are. This example is from the Safety management exam.

Safety management · Prevention program

Open book
Question 7 of 20

You are the principal contractor on a site where 12 construction workers will be present at the same time. What must you do before work starts?

  • Nothing: there is no obligation below 20 workers
  • Send a prevention program to the CNESSTYour answer
  • Have a site-specific prevention program drawn up, jointly with the employersCorrect answer
  • Apply the Regulation respecting the prevention program (S-2.1, r. 10)

Explanation

From 10 workers expected at the same time, section 198 requires a site-specific prevention program, drawn up jointly with the employers. Sending it to the Commission (s. 200) applies only from 20 workers. S-2.1, r. 10 was repealed on October 1, 2025.

Source: LSST, ss. 198 and 200

LégisQuébec

Sample questions for the Safety management exam

Prepare for the Safety management exam

Start with the free diagnostic: it shows your weak spots, module by module. Module 1 is part of the free level.

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