A pre-demolition survey course of 11 interactions and 5 validated competencies that walks learners through flagging asbestos, lead, mould, and other hazardous materials before a structure comes down. It builds the habit of identifying and controlling hidden materials rather than disturbing them.
For the people who plan and survey a demolition before work starts — competent persons, supervisors, estimators, and surveyors. Before a structure can be taken down safely, two questions must be answered: what hazardous materials are in it, and what is holding it up. This course is the pre-demolition survey and planning stage of the Demolition family.
Give the people who plan and survey a demolition the disciplined pre-work that keeps the job in control: the pre-demolition hazardous-materials survey (assume suspect materials are hazardous until tested), the rule that identified hazmat is assessed and…
At a glance
Format: Online, self-paced and interactive
Length: about 45 minutes, 5 modules
Pass mark: 80% on the final test
Certificate: QR-verified, valid for three years
Jurisdiction: Manitoba law and standards
Who this course is for
Demolition and renovation workers, and survey personnel who identify hazardous materials in a structure before work starts.
Competent persons and demolition planners responsible for the pre-demolition survey
Site supervisors and foremen preparing a structure for demolition
Estimators and surveyors scoping demolition and strip-out work
Project managers and coordinators arranging hazmat assessment, utility disconnection, permits, and notifications
Health-and-safety and environmental staff supporting demolition planning
What you will learn
Explain the purpose of the pre-demolition (hazardous-materials) survey and the principle that suspect materials are assumed hazardous until tested
Identify the hazardous materials a survey looks for — asbestos, lead, mould, PCBs, silica-bearing materials, mercury, and refrigerants — and where each is typically found
Apply the rule that identified hazardous materials must be assessed and abated / removed by qualified people BEFORE demolition (without re-teaching abatement procedures)
Describe the structural / engineering assessment (what is load-bearing, condition, previous alterations, adjacent structures) and the disconnection and isolation of every utility before demolition
Explain the written demolition / work plan (sequence, methods, controls, emergency plan) and the permits and notifications a demolition requires
Course outline
The Pre-Demolition Survey — Find Out What’s in It First — The pre-demolition survey is a structured, whole-building walk done before any work starts, to find hazardous materials and confirm the…
What the Survey Looks For — The Hazardous Materials — The pre-demolition survey looks for a defined list of hazardous materials, each found in predictable places: asbestos (lagging, tiles…
Assess and Abate First — Hazmat Comes Out Before the Structure — Once the survey flags a hazardous material, the rule is a sequence: assess it, then abate or remove it BY QUALIFIED PEOPLE, with the work…
Structure and Utilities — What Holds It Up, and What Feeds It — The other half of the survey is structure and utilities. A structural / engineering assessment establishes what is load-bearing, the…
The Demolition Plan — Putting the Pre-Work Together — The written demolition plan brings the pre-work together in order: pre-demolition survey → assess and abate hazmat by qualified people →…
Laws and standards covered
Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act (C.C.S.M. c. W210)
Manitoba WSH Regulation MR 217/2006
CCOHS — demolition and hazardous-material survey guidance; utility disconnection before demolition
OSHA 1926 Subpart T
Certificate and renewal
Passing the final test issues a QR-verified certificate, valid for three years. Pre-demolition survey and planning knowledge is best refreshed every 3 years, and sooner when a planner is newly assigned to demolition work, after a project where a hazardous…
Common questions
How long does Pre-Demolition Survey & Hazardous Materials take?
About 45 minutes online, over 5 modules, at your own pace. It ends with a final test that needs 80% to pass.
How long is the Pre-Demolition Survey & Hazardous Materials certificate valid?
Three years from the day you pass. Pre-demolition survey and planning knowledge is best refreshed every 3 years, and sooner when a planner is newly assigned to demolition work, after a project where a hazardous material or a live utility was missed, or when the type of structure or the applicable regulation changes materially.
Which laws and standards does Pre-Demolition Survey & Hazardous Materials cover?
Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act (C.C.S.M. c. W210); Manitoba WSH Regulation MR 217/2006; CCOHS — demolition and hazardous-material survey guidance; utility disconnection before demolition; and 1 more listed on this page.
Who should take Pre-Demolition Survey & Hazardous Materials?
Demolition and renovation workers, and survey personnel who identify hazardous materials in a structure before work starts.