How Long is WHMIS Training Good For?

When Is WHMIS Training Required?

WHMIS training should be updated as necessary or when significant information has changed. WHMIS training should be provided by the employer when a new employee is hired during orientation.

How Often Does WHMIS Need to Be Reviewed?

As there is no recommended date for WHMIS re-training, it is up to the organization to define their standard. An annual inventory of your hazardous products is strongly encouraged as it is the foundation of your WHMIS program. sdsBinders will alert you to product, hazard and SDS changes and will support your annual inventory verifications.

 Based on the inventory at your workplace WHMIS training should consider if:

• The conditions of the workplace have changed
• Your chemical inventory has changed. Are there are new hazardous products?
• Products have different hazards.
• Information has changed on the product Safety Data Sheet.
• The safe use, handing, storage or disposal of the product has changed.

With the new Alberta Occupational Health and Safety changes and the emphasis on Joint Health and Safety Committees; WHMIS would make an excellent topic for the committee to review.

Employers need to provide information, such as Safety Data Sheets, on hazardous products at their workplace. The health and safety committee (or a representative) needs to be involved with developing, implementing or reviewing health and safety education and training programs.

Provincial and territorial jurisdictions require WHMIS education and training program for your workplace and for the hazardous products workers may be exposed to in the workplace. It is recommended that an annual review of WHMIS education and training program is done, or more often if there is a change in work conditions or hazard information. A comprehensive WHMIS education and training program involves more than an online WHMIS course.

Standards for WHMIS Re Training

In our experience we have seen a wide range of company standards for WHMIS re-training. Some companies have WHMIS re-training on a 2 to 3-year cycle. Again, this WHMIS education may not be the entire picture. Making WHMIS relevant to the employee’s job is something that needs to be ongoing. Include the hazards they work with everyday keeps it personal and engaging.

Action: Chemscape has put together a WHMIS 2015 checklist to download from our resources page to help you design your own WHMIS education and training program. Consult your provincial/territorial regulatory body as well as your health and safety committee or representative. Practical demonstrations or written tests may be required by your regulatory body.