GENERAL

WHMIS applies to any workplace that has one or more controlled product (more commonly called hazardous products). WHMIS does not apply to a hazardous material that is covered under another piece of legislation such as the Food and Drugs Act or Consumer Products Act, or to manufactured articles or products covered under the Pest Control Products Act. (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Regulation 860/90, 4)

WORKER TRAINING AND EDUCATION

The employer must provide general education to workers about WHMIS and ensure that workers have access to all hazard information received about a controlled product. Workers must be instructed in the following:

· The contents required on a supplier label and workplace label, and the purpose and significance of the information contained on the labels

· The contents required on a material safety data sheet and the purpose and significance of the information contained on a material safety data sheet

· Procedures for the safe use, storage, handling and disposal of a controlled product

· Procedures for the safe use, storage, handling and disposal of a controlled product when it is contained or transferred in, a pipe, a piping system including valves, a process vessel, a reaction vessel, or a tank car, a tank truck, an ore car, a conveyor belt or a similar conveyance

· Procedures to be followed when fugitive emissions are present

· Procedures to be followed in case of an emergency involving a controlled product

WHMIS training must be developed and implemented for the employer's workplace and is related to any other training, instruction and prevention program at the workplace.

The employer must ensure the trained worker is able to apply the training on-the-job (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Regulation 860/90, 6)

LABELS

WHMIS requires all containers of controlled products to be labeled. There are two types of labels: supplier labels and workplace labels.

Supplier label

All containers of controlled product must be labeled with a supplier label when the containers are received. The employer is responsible for ensuring that containers are received with a supplier label attached. If the supplier label becomes illegible, it must be replaced with a workplace label. (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Regulation 860/90, 8)

Workplace label

A workplace label must be applied to any container of controlled product that does not have a supplier label. For example, a workplace label must be applied to any tank containing a product made in the workplace (e.g., combine parts A and B to make a new chemical) and to any container into which a hazardous product has been decanted. (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Regulation 860/90, 9-10)

An employer must use colour coding, labels, placards, etc, to indicate when a controlled product is in a pipe, piping system, process or reaction vessel or tank car. (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Regulation 860/90, 11)

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS (MSDSs)

The employer must obtain an MSDS for each controlled product used in the facility. The MSDS must be less than three years old to be acceptable. If an MSDS less than three years old is not available, the existing MSDS can be updated with any new hazard information available. The MSDS provided to employees may be in a format different from the one provided by the supplier provided that the supplier MSDS is available to workers and the new MSDS contains all the information from the supplier MSDS.

MSDSs for controlled products must be readily accessible to workers in the workplace, and to members of the joint health and safety committee. The MSDSs may be available on a computer provided that employees are trained on how to access the MSDSs, the computer system is maintained and the original MSDS is available on request. (Occupational Health and Safety Act, 38)

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