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WHMIS(workplace hazardous materials information system)

FAC Safety Training

Learning objectives

To be able to define WHMIS

To understand the purpose of WHMIS

To review the 3 key elements of WHMIS

To review the 6 classes/symbols of WHMIS

To review the employers’ and employees’

responsibilities with WHMIS

Whmis - purpose

“To ensure that workers and employees have the information they need to work safely with

hazardous materials at Alberta work sites”

There are 3 key elements of the WHMIS program to

ensure employer/employee safety.

WHMISWorkplace Hazardous Material

Information System

Sometimes known as the workers

“Right to Know”

National hazard communication system

Required by law

A system that ensures employers train employees about the possible dangers of

chemicals found in the workplace

WHMIS

Applies to any product that fits the criteria for one or more of the 6 WHMIS hazard classes

Uncontrolled products

Some products are not controlled by WHMIS Explosives Cosmetics Pesticides Radioactive Materials Certain Transported Goods Wood Products Manufactured Goods that do not release controlled

products into the environment (consumer goods)

(MSDS Sheets for Uncontrolled Products do not have to be updated)

Controlled Products6 WHMIS Categories or

Classifications

Compressed Gas

Flammable and Combustible Material

Oxidizing Material

Poison and Infectious Material Materials Causing Immediate and serious toxic effects Materials causing other toxic effects Biohazardous and Infectious materials

Corrosive Material

Dangerously Reactive Material

3 WHMIS Components

Labels

MSDS

Training

Key element #1- LABELS

Must be attached to all containers of controlled

products to alert employees to product

danger & basic safety precautions

Revised February 2013

2 Types of Labels

Supplier Labels- Manufacturer applies- Product Name- Hazards of product- Safe handling & storage- First aid measures- Name & location of supplier- Hazard symbols- Look to MSDS for more info

Worksite Labels- On decanted products- Less detailed- Name of product- Information on how to use- Look to MSDS for more info

Example - Supplier Label

Product Identifier (name)

Hazard symbol

Risk Phrases

Safety precautions

Safety Measures

First aid

Note about MSDS

Supplier Identifier

Hatched WHMIS BorderMust be in both official languages

For amounts greater than 100 ml/100 g

Example - Workplace Label- for “controlled product” made in the workplace.- on container with “controlled product” put in it.

Workplace Label -Identifier Only

If the “controlled product” is:

controlled & used only by the worker filling the container

used up during the shift

the contents are clearly marked

Special Rules for Bulk Material

"Bulk shipment" means a shipment of a controlled product that is contained without intermediate packaging in

a vessel with a water capacity of more than 454 litres,

a freight container, a road vehicle, a railway vehicle, a portable tank, a freight container carried on a road vehicle, railway vehicle, ship or aircraft, or a portable tank carried on a road vehicle, railway vehicle, ship or aircraft,

the hold of a ship, or

a pipeline.

Special Rules for Bulk Material

The tank or container that the bulk material is transferred into must be labeled with either a supplier label or a workplace label.

When the material is moved into containers for resale or delivery out of your workplace, you must put a supplier label on each container.

When the bulk material is used in your workplace (usually transferred into smaller containers), a workplace label is required on the containers.

Inner and Outer Packaging

an inner container, if the outer container has a supplier label, and the supplier has a written agreement with the employer that the employer will label the inner container;

an inner container that is actually a package liner, for example, a plastic bag used to contain powder in a box;

an outer container, if the label on the inner container can be seen and read through the outer container, for example, inner containers shrink wrapped in clear plastic; and

an outer container, if the outer container is labeled according to transportation of dangerous goods legislation and all inner containers have WHMIS labels [section 14 of the regulation].

the supplier does not have to label:

4 exceptions when

What about pipes and reaction vessels?

It is not necessary to use WHMIS labels on pipes and reaction vessels, however an identifying system MUST be in place.

Pipes and reaction vessels may be marked in other ways such a colour coding, or placards. However, it is the employers duty to train workers how to recognize and interpret the markings used in your workplace.

I work in a Lab. Are labels different here?

Sometimes. Laboratory samples of controlled products that are less than 10 kilograms do not have to have a WHMIS label as long as there is a label which states the following in both English and French: the product identifier (name) the chemical identity or generic chemical identity of an

ingredient of the controlled product, if known the supplier identification the statement "Hazardous Laboratory Sample. For

hazard information or in an emergency, call..." and an emergency telephone number must be provided

Labels - Symbols

WHMIS uses symbols to quickly identify a product.

These symbols are meant to show you the dangers

of working with that particular controlled product.

8 WHMIS Classification symbols

Revised February 2013

Class B – Flammable/Combustible – A solid, liquid or gas that will catch fire and continue to burn when exposed to a flame. Flammable materials catch on fire easily. Combustibles need to be heated before catching fire. This is defined as flashpoint. Flammable flashpoint is below 38C, combustibles above 38C. Hazard includes the amount of energy released when burning. Example: 4 litres of Toluene has the same potential energy as 20 sticks of dynamite!

Class A – Compressed Gas – At room temperature (20C), substance in in a gaseous state and kept under pressure. Examples: Oxygen and Acetylene

(Poisonous and infectious materials are subdivided into three divisions each with its own

hazard symbol.)

Whmis symbols (cont.)

Class C – Oxidizing Materials – A material which releases oxygen and therefore supports combustion. Examples: nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide. Class D1 – Materials causing Immediate and Serious Toxic Effects -Acutely toxic materials which can damage health in a single Overexposure. Effects can include: nausea, dizziness, diarrhea, or death. Class D2 – Materials Causing Other Toxic Effect– Cause harmful effects sometime after exposure – days, months or even years later. Chemicals in this class have a variety of health effects including: irritation, allergic response, lung damage, cancer, genetic damage, or reproductive effects. Examples: Asbestos and silica.

Whmis symbols (cont.)

Class D3 – Biohazardous and Infectious Materials – An organism or it’s toxins which may cause serious infectious disease.

Class E – Corrosive – Will corrode metals or cause permanent damage to tissues such as skin and eyes. Most are classed as either acids or alkalis. Examples: sodium hydroxide, bleach, and sulphuric acid

Class F – Reactive – Will react violently under certain conditions including materials which may undergo spontaneous polymerization, water and air reactives, and materials sensitive to heat, shock, or light.

Your Employer must ensure

All Controlled Products must have a supplier label

All damaged or unreadable labels are replaced

A worksite label is attached to all containers where a product has been decanted from the supplier container.

All employees are trained to know the controlled products used by the company and any special safety procedures needed.

Key Element #2 - MSDS

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

Contain more information about the product hazards than will fit on a label.

Must be reviewed and updated every 3 years

Are readily available in the areas where chemicals are kept

Revised February 2013

What is the MSDS?

A document that contains information on potential hazards (health, fire, reactivity and environmental) of the controlled product.

How to work safely with the controlled product.

An essential starting point for the development of a complete health and safety program.

Contains information on the use, storage, handling and emergency procedures all related to the hazards of the material.

Material Safety Data Sheet

What is the MSDS?

Contains much more information about the material than the label.

Prepared by the supplier or manufacturer of the material.

Intended to tell what the hazards of the product are, how to use the product safely, what to expect if the recommendations are not followed, what to do if incidents occur, how to recognize symptoms of overexposure, and what to do if such incidents occur.

MSDS

In Canada, every material that is controlled by WHMIS must have an accompanying MSDS that is

specific to each individual product or material. Both the product name and supplier on the MSDS

must match the material in use.

Click below to open another window for an example

WD40 MSDS

9 Sections of MSDSThese categories are specified in the

Controlled Products Regulations and include:

Product Information: product identifier (name), manufacturer and suppliers names, addresses, and emergency phone numbers

Hazardous Ingredients

Physical Data

Fire or Explosion Hazard Data

Reactivity Data: information on the chemical instability of a product and the substances it may react with

Toxicological Properties: health effects

Preventive Measures

First Aid Measures

Preparation Information: who is responsible for preparation and date of preparation of MSDS

Do you need to know EVERYTHING on the MSDS?

For most people who work with controlled products, there are some sections that are more important than others. You should always read the name of the chemical, know the hazards, understand safe handling and storage instructions, as well as understand what to do in an emergency.

There is other information that may not be on the MSDS. A lot of health hazard information, for example, is written in general terms. Your health and safety specialist, occupational health nurse or family doctor should be able to help you find more information if needed.

When to Use the MSDS

ALWAYS be familiar with the hazards of a product BEFORE you start using it.

You should look at a MSDS, match the name of the chemical on your container to the one on the MSDS, know the hazards, understand safe handling and storage instructions, as well as understand what to do in an emergency.

Be familiar with your company’s emergency protocols and procedures regarding the hazardous material in use.

Things to Consider

The information for the nine basic categories must always be in a Canadian MSDS for a controlled product, but MSDS may vary in appearance.

Under WHMIS law, an MSDS for a controlled product must not be more than three years old. If you are still using a product that you bought more than three years ago, you may not have a current MSDS. Contact the manufacturer or supplier again and ask for a newer version of the MSDS.

Updating MSDS

If new, significant information becomes available before the three years has elapsed, the supplier is required to update the product label and MSDS.

If there is no new information on the ingredients by the end of the three-year period, the supplier should review the MSDS and the label for accuracy, revise it where necessary, and revise the preparation date on the MSDS.

E-MSDS?Employers may computerize the MSDS

information as long as:

all employees have access to and are trained on how to use the computer,

the computers are kept in working order,

the employer makes a hard copy of the MSDS available to the employee or safety and health committee/representative upon request.

What does GHS mean to me?

There will a transitional period where the labeling, classification system and safety data sheets will vary between the old and the new.

At least in the interim, this may lead to some confusion.

You will need to familiarize yourself with new information.

New training may be required to update workers to the GHS system.

Key element #3- TRAINING

It is the Employees “Right to Know” the information needed to keep themselves & others safe.

WHMIS training should cover the following: Content needed on supplier labels –(generic training) Content needed on worksite labels –(generic training) Purpose of the information –(generic training) Content needed on the MSDS & its purpose–(generic

training) Procedures for safe use, storage & handling, and

first aid for products on site –(Employer) Site Location of MSDS–(Employer)

Training

WHMIS symbols, classifications of hazards, and labeling for WHMIS are the same for Alberta WHMIS as they would be for any other province or territory making the WHMIS course materials standard across Canada when it comes to the information workers need to know from the WHMIS legislation. This national consistency is an important part of the Canadian WHMIS program.

In Alberta and the other provinces and territories, there is also local legislation and regulation for the implementation and enforcement of WHMIS. In Alberta this is covered in the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Code, Part 29.

Training

In Alberta employers who have controlled products in the workplace or workers exposed to controlled products must have a WHMIS program in place

– the WHMIS law does not specify how frequently employers must provide education to their employees – instead, the law provides a standard for the effectiveness of the training and requires that the standard be achieved on an ongoing basis.

To decide if this standard has been achieved an employer may use a WHMIS testing process and or use job observations to assess or measure the effectiveness of their WHMIS education and training programs.

Employer Responsibilities

Employers must make sure that all controlled products have an up-to-date (less than three years old) MSDS when it enters the workplace.

Ensure MSDSs are readily available to the workers who are exposed to the controlled product and to the health and safety committee or representative.

If a controlled product is made in the workplace, the employer has a duty to prepare an MSDS for any of these products.

Employee (YOUR)

responsibility Report whenever a label is unreadable or damaged

Do Not use an unlabeled product

Report when proper procedures are not being followed

Always know where your MSDS sheets are kept

Read the MSDS of any Controlled Product you are using, and know your company’s safety protocols around it’s use, handling, storage, etc. BEFORE using the product.

GHS

The (GHS) is being implemented by Canada and this alignment will change WHMIS-related laws (the Hazardous Products Act and Controlled Products Regulations).

Health Canada is the government body responsible for making the required changes to the WHMIS related laws. Health Canada’s goal is to have the updated WHMIS laws in force by June 2015. In force means that suppliers may begin to use and follow the new requirements for labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for hazardous products sold, distributed, or imported into Canada at that time.

Provincial and territorial WHMIS regulations will also require updating.  Employers will be expected to have updated their WHMIS program and training to include the alignment with GHS. Exact timelines to be determined.

Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals

Coming soon……

Congratulations!

Follow these last few steps to receive a WHMIS Certificate

To demonstrate your understanding of the material provided in this course, we ask that you take a short quiz

Go to WHMIS Quiz

On Successful completion, you may download your certificate to print or email.