WHMIS 2015 – What You Need To Know

I have just finished the WHMIS 2015 for Workers online course. This course is being offered for $10 CDN per person by CCOHS (http://ccohs.ca/products/courses/whmis_workers ). The e-course will help you fulfill the legislated requirement for education and training related to hazardous products. You will also need to provide information specific to your company’s procedures and hazards.

The 1 hour WHMIS 2015 course includes quizzes throughout, has an exam at the end, and is a great reminder about information previously known from WHMIS, plus all of the new information that you need to know about WHMIS 2015. The information is well thought out and very detailed.

Many components of WHMIS are still required including:

• Training and Education
• Inventory of hazardous substance
• SDS’s (formerly MSDS’s)
• Labels
• Ensuring both French and English is listed on the label.

The change in WHMIS 2015 is to align the Canadian chemical classification and labeling with other countries around the world.

Major Changes with WHMIS 2015:

• New pictograms are to go along with the different hazard classes (with a different classification criteria).
• SDS vs MSDS – must be supplied by the supplier and contain information in 16 specified sections. They must be current (but no longer need to be updated every three year).
• Labels – each product will be listed as Danger, Warning, or nothing (if it is a low hazard product). Remember that products can belong to one or more classes. For example…Benzene belongs to several classes.
• Controlled Products will be called Hazardous Products

In February 2015, changes were made to the Federal Hazard Products Act and Regulation. These changes must be adopted by each individual Province and Territory. Individual provinces and territories may take varying amounts of time to amend this into the provincial legislation. Companies will be given time (approx. 3 year transition period), to adjust to the new rules; and both will be accepted in the interim.

Reference: http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/whmis_ghs/pictograms.html

As always training and education is required. It is critical that the SDS of every new product be reviewed prior to the use of the product. SDS’s must be stored either in a binder or electronically on a computer.

Workforce Compliance Safety’s Julie Tilley passed the course with 100%. Do you require the WHMIS 2015 safety policy at your workplace? Please contact us and we can help.