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Overview of WHMIS


IN THIS ARTICLE

 

 

Legal Requirements

WHMIS is implemented through coordinated federal, provincial, and territorial legislation. Health Canada administers the Hazardous Products Act (HPA) and associated regulations, which set labeling and safety data sheet requirements for suppliers. Each of the thirteen provincial, territorial and federal agencies responsible for occupational health and safety has legislation that regulates the employer requirements for WHMIS in the workplace.

The Health and safety of GigHound workers is the shared responsibility of GigHound and the clients of GigHound (GigHound Clients). GigHound is responsible for providing education about WHMIS 2015, new labels, and SDSs. GigHound Clients are responsible for the onsite training of workers and ensuring all labels and SDSs are accessible.

 

For more information about WHMIS requirements and implementation in your local jurisdiction, check out CCOHS Government Departments Responsible for OH&S.

 

 

WHMIS 2015 - Education and Training

Education

The general information such as how WHMIS works and the hazards of the products.

e.g., why a product is called a "corrosive," and what information you can find on labels and SDSs

 

Training

The GigHound Client's worksite and job-specific information for workers will include instructions on how to store, handle, use, dispose of, and deal with emergencies, spills, and other unusual situations.

 

 

Who should receive WHMIS education and training?

In Canada, if a workplace uses hazardous products, there must be a WHMIS program in place. Workers must be educated and trained, so they understand the hazards and know how to work safely with hazardous products.


All workers who work with a hazardous product or who may be exposed to a hazardous product as part of their work activities must learn about the hazard information for these products. The hazard information should include the information received from the supplier, as well as any other information that the GigHound Client is aware of about the use, storage, and handling of each product.


As an example, this education and training will include all workers who:

  • May be exposed to a hazardous product due to their work activities (including normal use, maintenance activities, or emergencies)
  • Use, store, handle or dispose of a hazardous product
  • Supervise or manage workers who may be exposed or use, store, handle or dispose of a hazardous product
  • Are involved in emergency response

 

What topics should be covered?

Examples of topics that should be covered during education and training include:

  • The information on both the supplier label and workplace label and what that information means
  • The information on the SDS and what that information means
  • The procedures required for safe use, handling, and disposal of a hazardous product
  • Any other procedures required when the product is in a pipe, piping system, vessel, tank car, etc.
  • The procedure to follow if the hazardous product may be present in the air and a worker may be exposed
  • All procedures that must be followed in an emergency that involves the hazardous product

 

What are GigHound’s duties under WHMIS?

When a hazardous product is used in the workplace, GigHound is required to:

  • Develop, implement, and maintain a worker WHMIS education and training program
  • Review their overall WHMIS education program, at least annually or more often, if there is a change in hazard information or similar.
  • Periodically evaluate worker's knowledge using written tests
  • Refresher education is generally required:
    • As needed to protect the worker's health and safety
    • When new hazard information becomes available

 

What are GigHound Clients’ duties under WHMIS?

When a hazardous product is used in the workplace, GigHound Clients  are required to:

  • Train workers on the hazards and safe use of products on-site.
  • Ensure that hazardous products are properly labeled.
  • Prepare workplace labels as needed.
  • Prepare SDSs, as necessary (e.g., if an employer manufactures a hazardous product that is used on-site).
  • Provide access to up-to-date SDSs to workers.
  • Ensure appropriate control measures are in place to protect the health and safety of workers.
  • Review their overall WHMIS training program, at least annually or more often, if there is a change in work conditions, hazard information, or similar. This review should be done in consultation with the health and safety committee or representative
  • Periodically evaluate worker's knowledge using written tests, practical demonstrations, or other means
  • Refresher education is generally required:
    • As needed to protect the worker's health and safety
    • If conditions of the workplace have changed
    • If new products are introduced
    • If the products have changed and now have different hazards
    • When new hazard information becomes available
    • If there is new information about safe use, handling, storage, or disposal

 

What are the worker's duties?

Workers must participate in the education and training sessions and follow the safe work procedures established by their employer.

 

 

What is the purpose of WHMIS?

  • Establishes rules for classifying hazardous products into hazard classes and categories according to the Hazardous Products Act and regulations
  • Requires suppliers to attach labels to these hazardous products
  • Requires suppliers to provide SDSs for these hazardous products to their customers
  • Provides health and safety information to employers and workers about hazardous products intended for use, handling, or storage in Canadian workplaces

 

Hazard Classes and Categories

Hazard Classes describe the different types of hazards.

 

Hazard classes consist of categories or subcategories (sometimes called types). The category is assigned to identify the degree of the hazard. Category 1 is always more hazardous than Category 2 or 3.

 

Examples of Hazard Classes and Hazard Categories usage:

  • Flammable liquids – Category 2
  • Eye irritation – Category 2A
  • Specific target organ toxicity – Single exposure – Category 3

 

How Hazard Classification Works

Based on their properties, hazardous products are assigned to hazard classes such as Corrosive to metals or Serious eye damage/eye irritation.

 

The hazard class and category are a guide to the:

  • Type of hazard
  • Degree of hazard
  • Precautions to follow

For example, a Flammable liquid – Category 2, such as gasoline, can easily catch fire.


An example of the precautionary statements for flammable gases is, "Keep away from heat, hot surfaces, sparks, open flames, and other ignition sources. No smoking."


IMPORTANT: Some products present more than one hazard and therefore belong to more than one hazard class. For example, acetone falls into multiple hazard classes, including Flammable liquids – Category 2, Eye irritation – Category 2A, and Specific target organ toxicity – Single exposure – Category 3.

 

 

Exclusions

Like previous WHMIS legislation, the update excludes some types of products from labeling and SDS requirements because these products are regulated by other laws.

 

The excluded products are:

  • Consumer products
  • Cosmetics, devices, drugs, or foods
  • Explosives
  • Hazardous wastes
  • Manufactured articles
  • Nuclear substances
  • Pesticides such as insecticides, herbicides and fungicides, and other pest control products
  • Tobacco or tobacco products
  • Any wood or products made of wood

We mention these exclusions because you may have some of these products in your workplace. You will receive training about how to work safely with them as part of a WHMIS training and education program and/or the comprehensive health and safety program provided by your employer.

 

 

Pictograms

Most hazard classes and categories are assigned a symbol reflecting the type or severity of the hazard.


The symbol is called a pictogram when it is framed by a red square set on a point. The exception is the biohazard pictogram which is in a round black border.


Many of these pictograms may look familiar. Some are based on the placards and labels used when transporting dangerous goods. You may notice two new pictograms – the exclamation mark and the health hazard. You may also see the environment pictogram if a supplier has chosen to use it. We will explain when each pictogram is used below.

 

flame.png

Flame

Presence of a flammability hazard

Examples of classes and categories that this pictogram represents:

  • Flammables (gases, aerosols, liquids, solids)
  • Self-reactive substances and mixtures
  • Pyrophoric liquids, solids, and gases
  • Self-heating substances and mixtures
  • Substances and mixtures which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases
  • Organic peroxides
flame_circle.png

Flame over circle

Presence of an oxidizing hazard

Examples of classes and categories that this pictogram represents:

  • Oxidizing gases, liquids, and solids
exploding_bomb.png

Exploding bomb

Presence of an explosion hazard

Examples of classes and categories that this pictogram represents:

  • Self-reactive substances and mixtures
  • Organic peroxides
  • Explosives (the Explosives hazard class has not been adopted in the Hazardous Products Regulations)
corrosion.png

Corrosion

Presence of a corrosive hazard

Examples of classes and categories that this pictogram represents:

  • Corrosive to metals
  • Serious eye damage
  • Skin corrosion
gas_cylinder.png

Gas cylinder

Presence of a compressed gas hazard

Examples of classes and categories that this pictogram represents:

  • Gases under pressure (compressed gas, liquefied gas, refrigerated liquefied gas, and dissolved gas)
skull_crossbones.png

Skull and crossbones

Presence of an acute toxicity hazard

Examples of classes and categories that this pictogram represents:

  • Acute toxicity (severe)
exclamation_mark.png

Exclamation mark

Presence of health hazards

Examples of classes and categories that this pictogram represents:

  • Skin sensitization
  • Acute toxicity (harmful)
  • Specific target organ toxicity - Single exposure (Cat. 3)
  • Eye irritation
  • Skin irritation
  • Hazardous to the ozone layer (the Environmental hazard class has not been adopted in the Hazardous Products Regulations)
health_hazard.png

Exclamation mark

Presence of health hazards

Examples of classes and categories that this pictogram represents:

  • Carcinogenicity
  • Respiratory sensitization
  • Reproductive toxicity
  • Specific target organ toxicity - Repeated exposure (Category 1, 2)
  • Specific target organ toxicity - Single exposure (Category 1, 2)
  • Aspiration hazard
  • Germ cell mutagenicity
biohazardous.png

Biohazardous infectious materials

Presence of an infectious or biological hazard

Examples of classes and categories that this pictogram represents:

  • Biohazardous infectious materials
environment.png

Environment (not mandatory)

Presence of an environmental hazard

Examples of classes and categories that this pictogram represents:

  • Hazardous to the aquatic environment (the Environmental hazard class has not been adopted in the Hazardous Products Regulations)