Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System

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WHMIS logo

The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS; French: Système d'information sur les matières dangereuses utilisées au travail, SIMDUT) is

material safety data sheets
(MSDSs) and worker education and site-specific training programs.

WHMIS is an example of synchronization and cooperation amongst Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments. The coordinated approach avoided duplication, inefficiency through loss of scale and the interprovincial trade barriers that would have been created had each province and territory established its own hazard communication system.

Old WHMIS Hazard Symbols

Class A
Compressed gas
Class D-2
Materials causing other toxic effects

Class B
Flammable and combustible material
Class D-3
Biohazardous infectious material

Class C
Oxidizing material
Class E
Corrosive material

Class D-1
Materials causing immediate and serious toxic effects
Class F
Dangerously reactive material

Legislative framework

The federal Hazardous Products Act and associated Controlled Products Regulations, administered by the National Office of WHMIS residing in the federal Department of Health Canada,[citation needed] established the national standard for chemical classification and hazard communication in Canada and is the foundation for the workers' "right-to-know" legislation enacted in each of Canada's provinces and territories.

Under the

material safety data sheets are made available to workers, and that workers receive education and site-specific training to ensure the safe storage, handling and use of controlled products in the workplace.[citation needed
]

Public engagement

Industry, organized labour and all governments actively participated in the development of WHMIS; i.e., Canada's national workplace hazard communication system represents a consensus amongst stakeholders. The system, a shared responsibility, continues to evolve through consensus. This system of identifying Hazardous Materials is taught to students and employees working in Canada.

WHMIS 2015

On February 11, 2015, the Government of Canada published in the Canada Gazette a new modified version of the WHMIS system called WHMIS 2015. WHMIS 2015 was created "to incorporate the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) for workplace chemicals."[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ "WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) 2015". Health Canada. May 8, 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to WHMIS hazard symbols.
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