The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) stands as a pivotal pillar of workplace safety, ensuring that employees are informed, prepared, and equipped to handle hazardous materials with the utmost care and diligence. In an era of ever-evolving industries and technologies, the significance of WHMIS cannot be overstated. This comprehensive system plays a vital role in safeguarding the well-being of workers across various sectors by providing essential information about the potential risks associated with hazardous materials and guiding them on proper handling and precautions.
WHMIS DEFINITION
What is WHMIS?
WHMIS, meaning the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, can be defined as Canada’s national hazard communication standard. (Source: Government of Canada, “Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System 2015 – Applies to workplaces under federal and provincial or territorial regulation, can be defined as Canada’s national hazard communication standard”. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/health-safety/prevention/whmis.html 9 September, 2022)
Workplace – deals only with products used in the workplace. For example, an employer whose workplace handles hazardous materials or a person responsible for health and safety in the workplace.
Hazardous Materials– refers to dangerous products that may cause fire, explosions, or health problems—for example, Flammable and Combustible Materials, Poisonous and Infectious Materials, Biohazardous Infection Materials etc. (Source: Justice Laws, Government of Canada, “Hazardous Products Act.” Available at: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/H-3/index.html, 17 February, 2023)
Information System– It is concerned with the optimization of information, policies and processes.
What is the purpose of WHMIS?
The purpose of WHMIS is to ensure employers and workers receive consistent and comprehensive health and safety information about the hazardous products they may be exposed to at work.
By setting standards for hazard classification, cautionary labelling of containers, the provision of safety data sheets (SDSs) and worker education and training programs, WHMIS is intended to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses related to such products.
Which are the key components of WHMIS?
There are four key components to WHMIS:
Hazardous Products Classification
There are at least three possible levels of classification for an individual product. From the general classification to more specific ones, these levels are hazard “group,” hazard “class,” hazard “category,” and, in some cases, hazard “subcategory.”
What are WHMIS pictograms?
Pictograms are graphic images that depict the hazard(s) associated with a specific product. Most pictograms have a distinctive red “square set on one of its points” border. Inside this border is a symbol representing the potential hazard (e.g., fire, health hazard, corrosive, etc.).
(Source: Justice Laws, Government of Canada. “Hazardous Products Act, SCHEDULE 2 (Section 2), Hazard Classes.” Available at: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/H-3/page-6.html#h-254727, 17 February 2023)
Where will I find the pictograms?
Pictograms are assigned to specific hazard classes or categories. Pictograms will be on the product supplier labels of the hazardous products you work with and on the SDSs.
Labels
What are WHMIS labels?
Labels are the first alert to the user about the major hazards associated with that product and outline the basic precautions or safety steps that should be taken. There are two types of WHMIS 2015 labels: supplier and workplace.
What are supplier labels?
Supplier labels appear on hazardous products purchased from suppliers. The information on the label must be provided in both English and French. Supplier labels provide information about a product’s hazards and about handling the product safely. This information is standardized and based on the hazard classes assigned to the product.
What are workplace labels?
An employer who produces a hazardous product in its workplace must ensure that the product or its container has a workplace label. The workplace label requires no specific wording or format.
Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)
What are SDSs?
Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) are summary documents that provide information about a product’s hazards and safety precautions. SDSs provide more detailed hazard information about the product than the label.
What information is on the SDS?
The WHMIS 2015 SDS has a standardized format of 16 sections, with specific information required for most sections. SDSs tell users what the product’s hazards are, how to use the product safely, what to expect if the recommendations are not followed, how to recognize symptoms of exposure, and what to do if emergencies occur.
Worker Education and Training
The fourth part of the WHMIS system, worker education and training, explains the WHIMIS 2015 system and gives workers specific safety training about the hazardous products they work with, are exposed to or produce.
WHMIS LEGISLATION
WHMIS is implemented by complementary federal, provincial and territorial legislation and regulations.
What is federal WHMIS legislation?
The primary purpose of the federal WHMIS legislation is to require suppliers of hazardous products intended for use, handling or storage in a workplace to classify those products and provide health and safety information about them to their customers.
What is provincial and territorial WHMIS legislation?
The primary purpose of the provincial and territorial WHMIS legislation is to require employers to obtain health and safety information about hazardous products from their suppliers and to use that information to train their workers.
WHMIS 1988 to WHMIS 2015
On February 11, 2015, the Government of Canada published the Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR) which, in addition to the amendments made to the Hazardous Products Act, modified WHMIS to incorporate the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemical (GHS). This modified WHMIS is referred to as WHMIS 2015. (Source: Justice Laws, Government of Canada.“Hazardous Products Act” Available at: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/sor-2015-17/index.html, February 2015)
What is GHS?
GHS stands for the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. The GHS is a system that defines and classifies the hazards of chemical products and communicates health and safety information on labels and material safety data sheets. Many chemical products cross international borders every day. A global system keeps us on the same page by ensuring we all understand the chemicals and hazardous materials similarly.
What are the key changes from WHMIS 1988 to 2015?
The key changes from WHMIS 1988 to WHMIS 2015 are:
- More comprehensive hazard classification criteria
- New hazard classes.
- New requirements for supplier labels.
- New standardized 16-section safety data sheet (SDS) format.
- Physical hazard criteria are now consistent with the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Regulations.
WHMIS TRAINING
What is WHMIS training?
In Canada, a WHMIS program must be in place if a workplace uses hazardous products. Workers must be educated and trained to understand the hazards and work safely with hazardous products.
Who is responsible for WHMIS training?
In Canada, businesses that work with hazardous materials are required by law to ensure a safe work environment for their employees. (Source: Justice Laws, Government of Canada, “Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/86-304)”. Available at: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/sor-86-304/index.html, March 1986). As such, they are also responsible for providing and implementing adequate WHMIS training. Employees must participate in the training program and apply the strategies they have learned to maintain their safety in the workplace. Furthermore, many potential employees in specific industries independently acquire and complete the program to ensure better hiring odds.
Who needs WHMIS training?
WHMIS training is legally required for everyone in Canada who works with or may encounter hazardous materials. Hazardous materials are more likely to be present in some industries than others. These include:
- Agriculture & Food
- Automotive & Manufacturing
- Construction
- Energy & Electricity
- Logistics (Shipping & Warehousing)
- Mining Oil & Gas
- Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare
- Seismic
- Waste Management
Can you do WHMIS training online?
This course requires only theoretical training and evaluation, making it suitable for both classroom and online formats. Online training adheres to the same standards as classroom training, ensuring that it is recognized and accepted. In fact, online training can be more convenient and efficient, as it eliminates the need for in-person attendance and allows for flexible scheduling.
Moreover, classroom trainings often have certain requirements imposed by the Ministry of Labour, such as a minimum duration of 8 hours, which may not always be necessary for the content being covered. Online training can be more efficient in this regard, as a well-designed 2-hour course can cover all the necessary material effectively.
Additionally, online training can be a more cost-effective option for employers compared to organizing in-person classroom sessions.
However, keep in mind that employers are responsible for selecting the appropriate level of training for their workplace, so it’s essential to check with your employer to ensure they accept online training for this purpose.
Is there a free WHMIS training?
The short answer is: No, not really.
The long answer: WHMIS courses can be developed either by the employer themselves, in which case they can be provided to you for free but have a cost of development for the employer; Alternatively, they can be developed by a private company such as ours.
When a private company develops such a program, many costs are associated with the process (human resources, programs licenses, host and servers, content research, voice-overs, software development, marketing, learning machine system development etc.); therefore, it cannot be free.
Depending on the website that sells it, its commitment to user experience, and its user panel investments, developing a WHMIS course will cost upwards of $10,000.
Websites that claim to offer free WHMIS training usually do so at the expense of users’ privacy or security as they have to recover their investments somehow. Your data will be sold to other third parties or used to promote related services (such as other programs or systems advertised as needed).
In more extreme situations, such websites may offer you the content for free but charge you for the certificate or unlocking the testing section, in most cases a price that is 2 or 3 times higher than what other private companies are selling the program for because at that point you have already invested time in completing the program with them.
Stay away from such websites because when you’re not paying for the product, you are the product.
Where can you purchase WHMIS online training?
In today’s fast-paced society, WHMIS online courses have become the cheapest and most convenient solution to get your safety training done. There are many methods and providers of WHMIS training. With any training, it is essential to select a high-quality WHMIS education provider and one that will provide the most value (best information retention in employees) for the time and money. Ensuring your WHMIS program materials are always up to date is also extremely important as the amount of health and safety regulations and enforcement is steadily increasing and constantly updating.
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In what provinces is WHMIS training needed?
The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) is Canada’s national hazard communication standard. WHMIS symbols, classifications of hazards, and labelling for WHMIS are the same for all provinces and territories: Alberta, British, Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Yukon, making the WHMIS training standard across Canada.
WHMIS CERTIFICATE
What do you need to learn?
To obtain a certificate in WHMIS, you must become familiar with the national system for classifying hazardous materials and become able to recognize pictograms, labels, and signs specific to WHMIS. In addition, you must be able to identify different hazardous substances, choose the correct protective equipment, and safely handle, store, and/or dispose of such materials while at work.
How long is the WHMIS certificate valid?
WHMIS legislation expiration dates and renewal requirements vary from 1 to 3 years depending on the province, as well as company size and type. Therefore, to ensure you are always in compliance, we recommend that you complete WHMIS training on an annual basis.
The Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) is an essential part of workplace safety in Canada, including WHMIS training. The JHSC is a group of workers and management representatives who work together to identify and resolve health and safety issues in the workplace. JHSCs are required in most Canadian workplaces that employ more than 20 workers and are mandated by provincial health and safety legislation.At least once a year, the employer must review the training and instruction provided to workers, in consultation with the joint health and safety committee or health and safety representative of the workplace, if any (subsection 42(3), OHSA). The requirement for a review of the education program does not necessarily mean that workers will need retraining. However, the review is meant to identify whether updating the education program and/or retraining are necessary.
How will I receive my training certificate?
The certificate will be automatically available for printing once you complete the course and pass the quiz with a score of 80% or higher.
All our courses will come with a PDF certificate at the end of the program.
This PDF file will have two pages: a standard certificate and a wallet-size training record.
The employer should store certificates, while the employee should carry their wallet cards at all times during work.
Students who prefer to receive wallet cards in a physical format can request and purchase a physical wallet card from eSafetyFirst. This optional item is not included in the course price and will cost an additional $10 for printing and shipping.
If you do not have the time to make your laminated wallet card, you may find it rather convenient to order this card directly from us.
How can I find my WHMIS certificate if I lost it?
In most cases, this question is addressed to us by individuals who took their training with a different company. As a private company, we can only store and access our customers’ data. Therefore, if you did your training with another company, you need to contact them to receive a copy of your certificate.
If you are a customer of eSafetyFirst.com, then all you have to do is to Login to your account, and you can, at any time, download a copy of the certificate you received from us.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) is a crucial safeguard that empowers employees to navigate hazardous materials responsibly and confidently. By fostering a culture of awareness, education, and preparedness, WHMIS not only protects the health and safety of workers but also contributes to the overall well-being of communities and the environment. As industries continue to evolve and new challenges arise, the enduring relevance of WHMIS remains undeniable. Embracing WHMIS principles and practices is an investment not only in the present but also in a safer and healthier future for all those who contribute to the dynamic tapestry of the modern workforce.