Everything You Need to Know About WHMIS

Classification

Most of the hazard classes in WHMIS are common to GHS; this means they will be used worldwide with other countries that have adopted GHS. There are a few classes that are specific to WHMIS. WHMIS classifies by assigning a product to a group and then to a category and finally a class. WHMIS has two main groups of hazards: the physical hazards group and the health hazards group. There is also a third GHS group called the Environmental Hazards Group that was not adopted by Canada; as it uses other regulations for the environment.  A product can have more than one hazard group classification.

Physical Hazards Group: chemicals in this hazard group present significant physical danger.  Products are classified based on their physical state (solid, liquid, gas) and physical properties (explosive, flammable, corrosive).

Health Hazard Group: chemicals in this hazard group present health danger either in the short term or long term.

Example below: Methanol Classification

What are the Label Requirements for WHMIS?

You should see labels on every hazardous product container you use on the job. Labels are used to communicate essential information about a product including:

What are WHMIS supplier labels?

Labels need to be on every hazardous product container of product you use on the job. WHMIS supplier labels need to be written in French and English. It alerts you to the name of the product, the hazards of the product (signal word, pictograms, hazard statements), what precautions you need to take to work safely with the product (precautionary statements), and what to do in an emergency (precautionary statements and supplier contact information). Suppliers ship their product with a supplier label.

What is a WHMIS workplace label?

Employers may need to apply a WHMIS workplace label to a product, a workplace label may be required when:

• a hazardo us product is made at the workplace and used at the same workplace

• a hazardous product is transferred to a secondary container

• a supplier label becomes damaged or unreadable

Elements of a workplace label: Product name, Supplier Name, Pictograms, Hazard Statements, Precautionary Statements, and a reference to the SDS.

What is the Difference between WHMIS Education and Training?

WHMIS training is frequently done when employees are hired as part of their orientation to a new company. Although there is no standard or expiration for WHMIS training industry best practices recommends WHMIS training should be ongoing, reviewed at least annually and adapted as hazards change in the workplace. A good WHMIS training program incorporates dialogue between the employer and employee with engagement and dialogue between management and front-line workers.