RBQ glossary: letter E

Employer’s obligations (obligations de l’employeur)

Section 51 of the LSST requires every employer to take the necessary measures to protect the health and ensure the safety and physical and mental well-being of workers. The list includes safe work methods, safe equipment, informing, training and supervising workers, and providing the required personal protective equipment free of charge. On a construction site, the principal contractor must meet the same obligations as the employer (s. 196).

See also: Worker’s obligations (obligations du travailleur), Principal contractor (maître d’œuvre), Act respecting occupational health and safety (LSST)

Safety management examSource: LégisQuébec, S-2.1, art. 51

Employment injury (lésion professionnelle)

An injury or a disease arising out of or in the course of an industrial accident, or an occupational disease, including a recurrence, relapse or aggravation (LATMP, s. 2). An injury that happens at the workplace while the worker is at work is presumed to be an employment injury (s. 28). The employment injury is what opens the right to LATMP benefits.

See also: Industrial accident (accident du travail), Occupational disease (maladie professionnelle), Income replacement indemnity (indemnité de remplacement du revenu)

Safety management examSource: LégisQuébec, A-3.001, art. 28

Energy efficiency chapter (chapitre I.1, efficacité énergétique)

Chapter I.1 of the Construction Code sets the energy efficiency requirements for new buildings and some extensions (ss. 1.1.2 and 1.1.3). It incorporates the National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings (NECB) 2020, with Québec amendments (s. 1.1.1). In the current text, small residential buildings are excluded: their energy requirements are in Chapter I, in Part 9 of the NBC. This chapter is not provided at the project and site management exam; it is recommended reading only.

See also: Construction Code, chapter I (Building), National Building Code of Canada (Code national du bâtiment, CNB), Part 9 of the NBC (partie 9 du CNB), Documents provided (open book)

Project and site management examDocuments provided at RBQ examsSource: LégisQuébec, B-1.1, r. 2, art. 1.1.1

Equity (capitaux propres, avoir)

The part of the assets that belongs to the owners once all debts are deducted, that is, assets minus liabilities. It includes the amounts invested by the owner, partners or shareholders and retained earnings. Its name follows the legal form: owner’s equity in a sole proprietorship, shareholders’ equity in a business corporation.

See also: Balance sheet (bilan), Debt ratio (ratio d’endettement), Sole proprietorship (entreprise individuelle), Business corporation (société par actions)

Administration examSource: RBQ, Administration competency profile, element 1 (French)

Exam information sheet (fiche)

The RBQ’s PDF for each exam: duration, pass mark, format and the list of documents provided or only recommended. Each sheet carries its update date.

Source: RBQ, exam preparation (French)

Exam on the carrying out of construction work

An exam specific to one annexe I or II subclass. It lasts 3 hours and includes plan reading. Subclasses 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.2 and 1.3 share one competency profile.

RBQ examsSource: LégisQuébec, B-1.1, r. 9

Exam retake (reprise)

After a failure, one retake, requested within 30 days of the notice you receive, with payment of $105.27 per exam (2026 fee). Failing or missing the retake means a 4-month wait before you can be admitted to that exam again, since 1 March 2026.

RBQ exam retake rulesSource: RBQ, failure or absence at an exam (French)

Examination of knowledge in administration (examen d’administration)

The official name of the administration exam (r. 9, s. 21). It covers financial management, management, labour relations, and statutes and regulations. It is for contractor candidates, general or specialized, and lasts 3 hours. Owner-builders do not take it (s. 11.2).

See also: Competency profile (profil de compétences), Competency element (élément), Documents provided (open book), R-20 Act (Loi R-20)

Administration examSource: LégisQuébec, B-1.1, r. 9, art. 21

Examination of knowledge in project and site management (examen de gestion de projets et de chantiers)

The official name of the project management exam (r. 9, s. 23). Its subjects include managing construction activities, reading and interpreting plans and specifications, assessing costs and tenders, and quality control. Contractors and general owner-builders take it, and it lasts 3 hours. The Building chapter of the Construction Code is provided in the edition named on the exam sheet, the NBC 2015 as amended.

See also: Construction Code, chapter I (Building), National Building Code of Canada (Code national du bâtiment, CNB), Plans and specifications (plans et devis), Tender (soumission)

Project and site management examSource: LégisQuébec, B-1.1, r. 9, art. 23

Examination of knowledge in safety management on construction sites (examen de gestion de la sécurité)

The official name of the safety exam (r. 9, s. 22). The regulation lists prevention management, compensation files management, assessment management, and statutes and regulations. Every candidate takes it, contractors and owner-builders alike, and it lasts 1 hour 30 minutes. The Act respecting industrial accidents and occupational diseases, the Act respecting occupational health and safety and the Safety Code for the construction industry are provided at the exam.

See also: Act respecting occupational health and safety (LSST), Act respecting industrial accidents and occupational diseases (LATMP), Site prevention program, Sustainable development

Site safety management examSource: LégisQuébec, B-1.1, r. 9, art. 22

Definitions written by RBQexam from the statutes and the RBQ’s pages, without reproducing their text. If in doubt, the official source prevails.