Designated Substance Survey

Designated Substance Survey in Toronto

At The Healthy Abode Inc. we perform Designated Substance Surveys (DSS) / Designated Substance Reports (DSR). A DSS Report is a Hazardous Material Assessment of your home / office / property that is required by the MOL prior to any demolition / renovation. Clients include builders, general contractors, demolition contractors, designers, engineers, architects, government, health care, schools / daycares, homeowners, property managers and any other person or group who may require such a service in compliance with Ontario Regulation 490/09. We are fully insured and WSIB compliant. Our reports are certified, insured and compliant to industry standards.


We are able to get you your completed DSS report / DSR report in as little as 2 business days. Contact us for an estimate, 416-901-7527.

What Can You Expect?

Initial Meeting over Phone

When you contact The Healthy Abode Inc. regarding a designated substance survey, we will knowledgeably answer your questions and provide you with a detailed account of our services, if requested.

Visual Inspection

A Designated Substance Survey is required by the Ontario Ministry of Labour (MOL) for residential and commercial construction. A visual inspection of the property is performed in order to establish what materials will need to be sampled.

Pre-Inspection Report

Before beginning the visual inspection we ask some important questions about your home. Questions would likely include the age of your home and any information regarding any previous renovations (this is considered the pre-inspection report.)

Professional Sampling

The Healthy Abode Inc. is qualified to perform any type of necessary sampling in your home. This includes the following sampling techniques air, surface/bulk and dust sampling. For these procedures, we only perform the necessary sampling and we only use professional equipment. For a designated substance survey we would be looking for and performing asbestos testing and lead testing; typically for these samples we use a bulk sampling method. All asbestos sampling is performed in accordance with Ontario Regulation 278/05.

Sampling sent to a Certified Third Party Laboratory

We submit our sample(s) to a third party laboratory. The turnaround time for the lab is 1-4 business days for samples. All of our samples for the designated substance survey are properly labeled and submitted with a Chain of Custody form, which allows us to trace possession of the sample from the point of collection to receipt by the laboratory. This maintains the integrity of your samples.



Verbal Explanation of the Reports

All reports will be emailed.


It is very important to us that you feel comfortable in your understanding of your designated substance survey report. As such, we will discuss with you the results and attempt to explain them in a manner that satisfies your understanding. At this point we will answer any questions you may have including providing recommendations.


Please note that all laboratory results are confidential, they belong to you and we do not discuss them with any other party, unless you've requested that we do so.

Written Report of the Results

The laboratory provides a detailed written report of the analysis of the samples taken. It will identify the exact quantity of lead (PPM) and asbestos (%, type) is in the sample (if any), which is required information for the designated substance survey.


In addition to the laboratory report, The Healthy Abode Inc. provides you with our designated substance survey report. This report is an inclusive 25+ page report written for the purpose of being submitted to your General Contractor, Trades, Ministry of Labour (MOL) Inspector and Electrical Safety Authority Inspector.

We're here if you have more questions.

In 2009 the Ontario government created Ontario Regulation 490/09 Designated Substances. The Healthy Abode Inc. performs Designated Substance Surveys and Reports for Residential and Commercial Construction/Demolition sites, in accordance with O. Reg 490/09

More About This Service

  • What is a Designated Substance?

    The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA), ONTARIO REGULATION 490/09 DESIGNATED SUBSTANCES (O. Reg. 490/09), allows for certain toxic substances to be specially designated.  This means that specific regulations have been constructed for the control of these substances in the workplace.  There are eleven (11) designated substances deemed to be toxic and of particular concern.  These eleven (11) designated substances are:


    • Acrylonitrile O. Reg. 835
    • Arsenic O. Reg. 836
    • Asbestos O. Reg. 278
    • Benzene O. Reg. 839
    • Coke Oven Emissions O. Reg. 840
    • Ethylene Oxide O. Reg. 841
    • Isocyanates O. Reg. 842
    • Lead O. Reg. 843
    • Mercury O. Reg. 844
    • Silica O. Reg. 845
    • Vinyl Chloride O. Reg. 846

    Accordingly, each Designated Substance Regulation outlines the amount of the substance that a worker can be exposed to (Classification of Work, i.e. Type 1 Asbestos Operations), ways to control the substance, personal protective equipment required and other safety measures, and ways to measure the substance in a specific environment.

  • Do I have to worry about all 11 Designated Substances on a Construction Site?

    Five (5) of the eleven (11) Designated Substances are likely to be found on a residential/commercial construction site, namely asbestos, lead, silica, benzene, and mercury.

  • Whose responsibility is it to have a Designated Substance Survey performed?

    In section 30 of the OHSA deals with the presence of designated substances on construction projects.  Since silica, asbestos, lead, benzene and mercury are designated substances (O. Reg. 490/09), compliance with OHSA and its Regulations requires the owner of a project to determine if silica, asbestos, mercury, benzene and/or lead is present on a project through a designated substance survey and, if it is, to so inform all potential contractors as part of the bidding process.  In a similar way, contractors who receive this information are to pass it onto other contractors and subcontractors who are bidding for work on the project.  If the owner or any contractor fails to comply with this requirement, whey will be liable for any loss or damages that result from a contractor subsequently discovering that silica, asbestos, mercury, benzene, and/or lead is present.


    Additionally, the OHSA sets out, in very general terms, the duties of employers and others to protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job.  These duties include:


    taking all reasonable precautions to protect the health and safety of workers [clause 25(2)(h)]

    ensuring that equipment, materials and protective equipment are maintained in good condition [clause 25(1)(b)]

    providing information, instruction and supervision to protect worker health and safety [clause 25(2)(a)]

    acquainting a worker or a person in authority over a worker with any hazard in the work and in the handling, storage, use, disposal, and transport of any article, device, equipment, or a biological, chemical, or physical agent [clause 25(2)(d)]

  • What is a Designated Substance Survey (DSS)?

    A Designated Substance Survey includes a visual inspection (walk-through) of the site, to identify the readily accessible areas for the presence of designated substances used in building and construction materials and equipment.  Accordingly, we assess the type, characteristics, and condition of the building materials, and when necessary samples of certain materials will be collected for subsequent laboratory analysis.


    The result is a Designated Substance Survey (Assessment Report) that outlines materials of concern on the job site, lab analysis and results of materials tested overall discussion of the materials (types, locations) found in the job site, and conclusions/recommendations made according to these observations and testing.

  • What are “other Hazardous Materials”?

    Some Designated Substance Surveys will also include inspections for other Hazardous Materials.  Depending on the scope of the Project, the site, and the building itself, this may or may not be necessary.  Other Hazardous Materials include:


    1. Mold (Mould)
    2. Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
    3. Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODSs)
    4. Radon
    5. Electromagnetic Radiation
    6. Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation (UFFI)

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