QUEBEC · CNESST · CONSTRUCTION CODE S-2.1, R. 4

Fall Protection in Quebec: CNESST Rules After the 2025 Changes

Quebec's construction safety code changed on February 20, 2025. Here is what it requires now: when fall protection applies, the order you must use it in, the 15-minute rescue rule, anchor strengths and the CSA gear it calls for.

Quick answerOn a Quebec construction site, guardrails are required where a worker could fall 3 m or more (less in some cases). If a guardrail is not possible, the code now sets an order: change the work method, then travel restraint, then a safety net, then a harness. A suspended worker must be freed within 15 minutes, and harnesses and lanyards must meet CSA Z259 standards.
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  • S-2.1, r. 4 s. 2.9
  • 2025 amendments
  • 15-minute rescue
  • CSA Z259 gear
QUEBEC FALL PROTECTION ◆ CNESST ◆ CONSTRUCTION CODE S-2.1, R. 4 ◆ IN FORCE FEB 20, 2025 ◆ RESCUE WITHIN 15 MINUTES ◆ CSA Z259 GEAR

Quebec fall protection at a glance

THE NUMBERS THAT MATTER

Trigger height3 mAlso 1.5 m when handling loads, 1.2 m with a vehicle such as a wheelbarrow, and any height over dangerous substances or moving parts (s. 2.9.1).
Order of measures4 stepsChange the method, travel restraint, safety net, then harness (s. 2.9.2).
Rescue15 minutesA suspended worker must be freed within 15 minutes; trained rescuer on site (s. 2.9.5).
DrillsEvery 6 monthsRescue drills before work starts and every 6 months (s. 2.9.5.1).
Anchor, fall arrest18 kNSingle-point anchor, or engineered to 2× the max arrest force under CSA Z259.16 (s. 2.10.15).
GearCSA Z259Harness Z259.10, lanyard/absorber Z259.11, SRL Z259.2.2, connectors Z259.12 (s. 2.10.12).

Who regulates fall protection in Quebec

REGULATOR · LAW · OFFICIAL TEXT

Fall protection in Quebec is enforced by the CNESST (Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail) under the Act respecting occupational health and safety (CQLR c. S-2.1). Construction sites follow the Safety Code for the construction industry (S-2.1, r. 4), subdivision 2.9, amended by O.C. 63-2025 and in force since February 20, 2025. Other workplaces follow the Regulation respecting occupational health and safety (S-2.1, r. 13), ss. 33.1–33.5.

Heads upGuides written before 2025 miss the new order of measures, the travel-restraint rules and the 15-minute rescue requirement.

When fall protection is required in Quebec

CONSTRUCTION CODE S. 2.9.1

On construction sites, a guardrail is required within 300 mm of an edge where a worker could fall:

  • 3 m or more;
  • 1.5 m or more when handling loads;
  • 1.2 m or more when using a vehicle such as a wheelbarrow;
  • at any height into dangerous substances, onto moving parts or onto hazardous equipment or material.

It also covers fragile surfaces such as skylights. Guardrails are not accepted as fall protection on surfaces sloped more than 19° (4/12). In other workplaces, the general regulation protects workers exposed to a fall of more than 3 m (s. 33.1).

The order of measures Quebec now requires

S. 2.9.2 · IN FORCE 2025

Where a guardrail cannot be installed or must be removed, the code sets this order:

  1. Change the work method or position so the work is done from a safe surface.
  2. Travel restraint system (s. 2.10.16): keeps the worker at least 0.9 m from the edge; not allowed on slopes over 15° (3/12).
  3. Safety net (s. 2.9.3).
  4. Harness connected to a fall arrest connecting device (ss. 2.10.12, 2.10.15).

The harness is the last option, not the first.

Rescue on Quebec construction sites

S. 2.9.5 – 2.9.5.3

  • A written rescue procedure, prepared by the principal contractor with the employers, before harness or net work begins.
  • A worker suspended in a harness or caught in a net must be freed within 15 minutes, with priority on lifting equipment such as an aerial platform.
  • Workers who will carry out the rescue are trained before work starts, with drills before work and every 6 months.
  • Rescue equipment and at least one trained rescuer on site at all times while the work is under way.
  • Rope rescue equipment must meet NFPA 2500 or ANSI Z359.4.

Anchors and equipment standards in Quebec

S. 2.10.12 · S. 2.10.15 · S. 2.10.16

Anchors: a single-point fall arrest anchor needs a breaking strength of at least 18 kN, or must be engineered under CSA Z259.16 to twice the maximum arrest force. A travel-restraint-only anchor may be 8 kN if marked for restraint use only. Minimum-spec horizontal lifelines: steel cable at least 12 mm, no more than 12 m between end anchors, end anchors at least 90 kN, and no more than 2 workers.

Gear: the code lists CSA standards: harness CSA Z259.10; energy absorber and lanyard CSA Z259.11 (lanyard with absorber no longer than 2 m); self-retracting device CSA Z259.2.2; rope grab and vertical lifeline CSA Z259.2.5; connectors CSA Z259.12. The connecting device must limit arrest force to 6 kN or free fall to 1.8 m.

Common fall protection mistakes in Quebec

WHAT INSPECTORS FIND

  • Using pre-2025 procedures: the order of measures, travel-restraint rules and 15-minute rescue are new.
  • Reaching for a harness first: it is now the last option after method change, restraint and nets.
  • Counting on 911 for rescue: a trained rescuer and rescue equipment must be on site to meet 15 minutes.
  • Buying ANSI-only harnesses or lanyards: the code lists CSA Z259 standards.
  • Using guardrails as the protection on roofs steeper than 4/12.
  • Skipping the 6-month rescue drills.

CSA fall protection gear for Quebec sites

CSA Z259 FIRST

Before you buyQuebec's construction code lists CSA Z259 standards for harnesses, lanyards, SRLs and connectors. Frontline, Malta Dynamics and SSRA products are ANSI/OSHA-rated, not CSA, so choose CSA-certified gear such as Safety Direct and FallTech's CSA lines for Quebec work. Every product page states its rating.

Official Quebec fall protection links

SOURCES

This page is a plain-language summary to help you plan, not legal advice. Regulations change: check the current official text linked above, or call your provincial regulator, before you rely on it. Summary checked October 2026.

More fall protection resources

GUIDES & CHECKLISTS

Quebec fall protection — common questions

ANSWERS YOU CAN CITE

01

What changed in Quebec fall protection rules in 2025?

Since February 20, 2025 the construction code sets a required order of measures (method change, travel restraint, net, harness), adds travel-restraint rules, and requires a suspended worker to be freed within 15 minutes, with trained rescuers on site and drills every 6 months.
02

Is ANSI fall protection gear accepted in Quebec?

The construction code lists CSA Z259 standards for harnesses, lanyards, SRLs and connectors. ANSI appears only for safety nets and rope rescue equipment. Choose CSA-certified personal fall protection for Quebec sites.
03

How strong does a fall arrest anchor need to be in Quebec?

At least 18 kN breaking strength for a single-point anchor, or engineered under CSA Z259.16 to twice the maximum arrest force (s. 2.10.15).
04

Is there a Quebec working at heights card like Ontario's?

No province-wide certified working-at-heights course is set in the code. Rescue training and drills are required for workers who carry out rescues, and equipment training follows the general duty to train.