WHIMIS GHS 2015 Learner’s Material
Information for Assignment Employees
Education vs. Site Specific Training
Our top priority is your safety and taking this WHMIS 2015 GHS course is one of our first steps in achieving this. When working on assignment with Local Staffing, you may work with a variety of hazardous substances. This WHMIS course material will give you the general knowledge you need to protect yourself.
WHMIS program requirements are implemented through coordinated federal, provincial, and territorial occupational health and safety (OHS) laws. WHMIS is enforced by the provincial or territorial government departments or agencies responsible for health and safety (in Ontario WHMIS is enforced by the Ministry of Labour), or by the Labour Program for federally regulated workplaces.
It is important to understand the difference between WHMIS Education and WHMIS Training.
WHMIS Education refers to general or portable information such as how WHMIS works and the hazards of the products. For example, you will learn why a product is called corrosive and what information you can find on WHMIS labels and Safety Data Sheet (SDS).
WHMIS Training refers to the site- and job-specific information that covers your workplace's procedures for handling hazardous materials. Topics such as storage, handling, use, disposal, spills, and what to do in unusual situations are covered by WHMIS Training.
WHMIS requires all employees who work with hazardous products, or who may be exposed to hazardous products as part of their work activities, be taught the hazard information for those products. This should include the any hazard information received from the supplier, as well as any information that the employer is aware of regarding the use, storage and handling of each product.
What is WHMIS 2015 GHS
WHMIS stands for the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System. It is a comprehensive system for providing health and safety information on hazardous products intended for use, handling, or storage in Canadian workplaces.
WHMIS has aligned with the worldwide hazard communication system known as GHS – the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. Aligning with GHS provides many benefits, including:
More comprehensive hazard classification criteria which help indicate severity of hazards
New hazard classes provide a more complete picture of hazard presented by controlled products
Physical hazard criteria which are consistent with the Transport of Dangerous Goods (TDG) regulations.
Standardized language (hazard and precautionary statements)
Standardized Safety Data Sheet (SDS) format and more comprehensive SDS requirements
Responsibilities of Stakeholders
There are three main Stakeholders in WHMIS: Suppliers, Employers, and Workers
Each stakeholder has different and specific responsibilities to make sure everything runs properly and that each group always has the necessary information they need to work safely.
Supplier/Manufacturer Responsibilities
Classify products using WHMIS 2015.
Create supplier labels that meet WHMIS 2015 requirements.
Prepare supplier SDSs that meets WHMIS 2015 requirements.
Employer Responsibilities
Educate and train workers on the hazards and safe use of controlled products.
Ensure that hazardous products are properly labelled.
Prepare workplace labels, as needed.
Prepare SDSs, as necessary (e.g., if an employer manufactures a hazardous product that is used on-site)
Provide workers access to up-to-date SDSs (sheets must be available in the workplace, but can be in paper or electronic format)
Ensure appropriate control measures are in place to protect the health and safety of workers.
Employee Responsibilities
Participate in WHMIS education, instruction and training provided by employer.
Read labels and SDSs before exposure to hazardous products.
Follow all procedures developed by the employer for working with/near hazardous products.
Know what to do in an emergency.
Know where to find more information.
Wash hands after handling hazardous products.
Ask questions when unsure how to control a hazard.
Ask a workplace supervisor or manager for SDSs as needed.
Substances that are Excluded from WHMIS
Certain types of product are excluded from WHMIS as they are covered by other acts/regulations. The exclusions under WHMIS 2015 are:
Explosives as defined in the Explosives Act
Cosmetics, devices, drugs or food as defined in the Food and Drugs Act
Pest control products as defined in the Pest Control Products Act
Consumer products as defined in the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act
Wood or products made of wood
Nuclear substances as defined in the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, that are radioactive
Hazardous waste, being a hazardous product that is sold for recycling/recovery or is intended for disposal
Tobacco and tobacco products as defined in the Tobacco Act
Manufactured articles
Note that while a product may be exempt from the requirement to have a WHMIS label and SDS, employers must still provide education and training on health effects, safe use, and storage.
The WHMIS 2015 GHS System has 3 Main Components
WHMIS Labels – Labels on hazardous products alert you to the identities of products, their hazards, and the precautions you’ll need to take when handling the product. The information on hazards and precautions has been standardized.
Safety Data Sheets (SDS) – These documents provide detailed hazard and precautionary information. Under WHMIS 2015, SDS uses a 16-section format that has been standardized.
Worker education and training – Employers must ensure that all workers are given information to keep them safe working with or around hazardous substances. This will come in the form of overall WHMIS 2015 GHS training and specific training for the substances and processes in the workplace.
Worker education and training – Employers must ensure that all workers are given information to keep them safe working with or around hazardous substances. This will come in the form of overall WHMIS 2015 GHS training and specific training for the substances and processes in the workplace.
WHMIS Labels
There are two types of labels used in WHMIS. Supplier labels and workplace labels.
Supplier Labels – Prepared and provided by the supplier. See appendix A for a sample of a supplier label. A supplier label must include the following information:
Product identifier – the brand name, chemical name, common name, generic name or trade name of the hazardous product
Initial supplier identifier – the name, address and telephone number of either the Canadian manufacturer or the Canadian importer*
Pictogram(s) – hazard symbol within a red "square set on one of its points".
Signal word – a word used to alert the reader to a potential hazard and to indicate the severity of the hazard. There are two acceptable signal words:
Danger – For severe hazards
Warning – For mild/moderate hazards
Hazard statement(s) – standardized phrases which describe the nature of the hazard posed by a hazardous product. For example:
Extremely flammable liquid
Dangerously reactive
Fatal if swallowed
Precautionary statement(s) – Standardized phrases that describe measures to be taken to minimize or prevent adverse effects resulting from exposure to a hazardous product or resulting from improper handling or storage of a hazardous product. For example:
Wash hands after using
Store in dry area
Wear gloves
Supplemental label information – some supplemental label information is required based on the classification of the product.
Workplace Labels – Developed and used in the workplace: See appendix B for an example of a workplace label. A workplace label is required when:
A hazardous product is produced (made) at the workplace and used in that workplace
A hazardous product is decanted (e.g., transferred or poured) into another container
A supplier label becomes lost or illegible (unreadable)
A workplace label must have the following information:
The product name, exactly as it appears on the container and on the Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Hazard statements based on the product's hazard classification
Hazard pictograms (optional)
Precautionary statements
Reference to SDS
NOTE: If a label is torn or unreadable, a worker must notify a supervisor immediately.
Hazard Pictograms
Pictograms are graphic images that immediately show you what type of hazard a product presents. Most pictograms have red, diamond shaped border with a symbol in the middle. Pictograms are assigned to specific hazard classes. In WHMIS 2015 GHS they are internationally standardized, but not all pictograms are used in all countries. There are 10 pictograms.
Organizing and Classifying Hazard
As mentioned in the pictograms section, a symbol is used to assist in recognizing the hazard class. WHMIS organizes its hazards in 3 ways. Hazard groups, hazard classes and categories.
There are two different hazard groups:
Health Hazard Classes– Will harm workers from inside the body, directly impacting a worker’s health.
These include:
Acute Toxicity
Skin Corrosion
Serious eye damage/eye irritation
Respiratory or skin sensitization
Germ Cell mutagenicity
Carcinogenicity
Reproductive toxicity
Specific target organ toxicity
Aspiration Hazard
Biohazard infections material
Health hazards otherwise not classified- single exposure
Specific target organ toxicity- repeated exposure
Physical Hazard Classes – Will harm workers from the outside the body, directly impacting the area around the worker. These include:
Combustible dust
Corrosive to metals
Flammable Gasses
Flammable aerosols
Flammable liquids
Flammable solids
Self-heating substances
Self-reactive substances
Simple asphyxiants
Gases under pressure
Organic peroxides
Oxidizing gases
Oxidizing liquids
Oxidizing solids
Pyrophoric gases
Pyrophoric liquids
Pyrophoric solids
Substances and mixtures which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases
Physical hazards not otherwise classified
The hazard classes may be further divided into one or more hazard categories (categories 1-4). With category 1 being the highest level of hazard, i.e. the most hazardous category.
Hazard classes may be further divided into one or more hazard “types”. With A being the greatest level of hazard (most hazardous) type.
Sometimes categories are also divided into sub-categories (depending on the class) For example:
1A – greatest level of hazard
1C – less hazardous than 1A
2 – less hazardous than 1C
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
All the information mentioned in the section on how hazardous products are organized can be found on a safety data sheet that will be available with the employer. Or they can usually be found online as well if you search the product name with SDS next to it. For example- -search- -propane SDS sheet-
The SDS has all necessary information so stakeholders can learn about the product’s hazards, the chemical make-up and how to protect yourself. Each SDS is broken up into 16 sections. See Appendix C to see an example of an SDS.
An SDS can look intimidating at first but all workers should look for five important sections.
Section 2 – Hazard Identification
Section 4 – First Aid Measures
Section 7 – Handling and Storage
Section 8 – Exposure Controls/Personal Protection
Section 10 – Stability and Reactivity
Below is the list of all sections which must be included in an SDS
Product identifier
Hazard identification
Composition/ingredient information
First aid measures
Firefighting measures
Accidental release measures
Handling and storage
Exposure controls/personal protection
Physical and chemical properties
Stability and reactivity
Toxicological information
Ecological information
Disposal considerations
Transport information
Regulatory information
Other information
Routes of exposure – How Chemicals Enter the Body
Chemicals can enter the body in 4 ways.
Inhalation: For most chemicals in the form of vapors, gases, mists, or particulates, inhalation is the major route of entry.
Skin (or eye) absorption: Skin (dermal) contact can cause effects that are relatively innocuous such as redness or mild dermatitis; more severe effects include destruction of skin tissue and other debilitating conditions.
Ingestion: Chemicals that inadvertently get into the mouth are swallowed and enter the digestive system.
Injection: Substances may enter the body if the skin is penetrated or punctured by contaminated objects.
Acute & Chronic
Exposures to chemicals can be either acute or chronic. An acute exposure is delivered in a single event. A chronic exposure is one which is protracted over a long period of time which can be days, weeks, months or years.
Acute exposure is usually caused by exposure to a high concentration of a substance that causes immediate harmful effects. A spill of acid on the skin causing a burn would constitute an acute effect. Such effects are immediately obvious, and action can be taken to remediate them.
Chronic effects generally result from a low concentration of a substance over a long period of time. There are no immediate observable effects from the exposure, and a person may not even know that he/she is being exposed. The effects only become manifest after many years. Common examples include smoking and exposure to asbestos.
Hierarchy of Controls
When workers face hazards, they should look to the hierarchy of controls to eliminate or reduce the amount of exposure. When addressing workplace hazards the first methods in the hierarchy are the most effective and should be attempted before moving to a control lower in the hierarchy.
WHMIS is largely an administrative control. This information will be included on SDS in section 8.
Elimination – Do not use the chemical that presents the hazard. Find a safer way to do
the job.Substitution – Change the chemical being used to one that is less hazardous.
Engineering Controls – Reduce the exposure at the source of the hazard. For example, ensure enough ventilation is present by installing a fan and fume hood.
Administration Controls – Are all about training, signage, information, and scheduling to reduce the amount of exposure.
PPE – Stands for personal protective equipment. PPE is the least effective precaution because the hazard is now very close to the worker and the equipment they are wearing is the only thing protecting them.
Appendix A - Supplier Label
Appendix B - Workplace Label
Appendix C – Safety Data Sheet Example
An complete Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for “LYSOL® IC™ - Quaternary Disinfectant Cleaner Concentrate” is included on the following pages. Please review this as an example of the information that must be included on an SDS. The exact format of an SDS will change depending on the supplier, but the contents of an SDS will not.