Safety checklist — Floor layer / Sander
Installation and sanding of wood floors. Based on Québec's Construction Safety Code (CSTC) and CNESST standards.
Before work
10 items- ✓
PPE worn: knee pads, safety glasses, hearing protection, N95 mask
- ✓
Subfloor moisture level checked (hygrometer)
- ✓
Wood acclimated on site for minimum 72 hours
- ✓
Tools inspected — pneumatic nailer, miter saw, sander
- ✓
WHMIS sheets for finishing products reviewed (varnish, stain, adhesives)
- ✓
Sanding with integrated vacuum system — minimize dustCritical
ℹ️ RSST Annex I: hardwood/softwood 5 mg/m³; western red cedar 0.5 mg/m³. Not 1 mg/m³.
- ✓
Ventilation and respirator per the SDS / the risk assessmentCritical
ℹ️ LSST 51 + SDS. The CSTC does not write “organic-vapor respirator mandatory” for every varnish.
- ✓
No open flame near finishing products
- ✓
Knee pads worn at all times to prevent bursitis
- ✓
Cuts made in ventilated area or outdoors
After work
4 items- ✓
Area ventilated for minimum 24 hours after varnish application
- ✓
Product-soaked rags in closed metal container
ℹ️ Spontaneous combustion risk — never ball up in trash
- ✓
Floor protection laid before other trades walk through
- ✓
Sawdust and dust cleaned by vacuum
14 verification items — use this checklist on-site with the app
Use on-site — freePDF reports, history and team management in the app
For information only — this is not legal advice. OK Sécurité is an independent company with no affiliation to the CNESST: we are not mandated, endorsed or certified by it. Completing a checklist here does not by itself establish your compliance — your exact obligations depend on your job site and your prevention program. Where there is any discrepancy, the official text published by Légis Québec or the CNESST prevails.
More checklists — Finishing & Cladding
More safety checklists
Risks and prevention — Floor laying and sanding
Floor sanding generates large amounts of fine dust and high noise levels. Wood dust: Annex I OELs (5 mg/m³; cedar 0.5). Site noise follows CSTC 2.21 (85 dBA), not a named RSST “mask plus muffs” pair. Floor sanders use integrated dust collection, which must be maintained for effectiveness.
Finishing products (polyurethane varnish, stains) contain VOCs and isocyanates. Ventilation and respirators follow the SDS / LSST 51 — not a CSTC “mechanical ventilation mandatory” article. Eliminating ignition sources remains site practice.
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