WHMIS Flashcards
WHMIS
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System is Canada’s national hazard communication standard
WHMIS Key elements
labelling containers of “controlled products”, material safety data sheets, worker education and training programs
Who coordinates and operates WHMIS
is implemented through federal, provincial and territorial legislation.
-Supplier labelling and MSDS are under the federal Hazardous Products Acts and associated Controlled Products Regulations
What workplaces does WHMIS applies?
In Ontario, WHMIS applies to all workplaces covered by OSHA, and to all federal government workplaces
To what hazardous materials does WHMIS apply?
controlled products
5 Pieces of federal legislation that implement WHMIS
- Hazardous Products Act, places duties on suppliers to provide labels and MSDS to their customers.
- The Controlled Products Regulation
- The Ingredients Disclosure List,
- Hazardous Materials Information Review Act
- Hazardous Materials Information Review Regulations; this regulation sets criteria that the Commission will use when assessing the validity of a claim for exemption, also sets the fees to be paid when filing a claim for exemption, or appealing a decision of the Commission
Who is a supplier
-a person who manufactures, processes, packages, sells or imports hazardous material intended for use in the workplace
What are the duties of a supplier?
3 duties:
- aka “classification step”–to determine which hazardous materials intended for use in the workplace are controlled products.
- To label all controlled products as a condition of sale.
- To provide material safety data sheets for controlled products as a condition of sale.
What is a controlled product?
-any product that can be included in the following 6 classes:
-Class A compressed Gas
-Class B flammable and combustible material
-Class C oxidizing material
Class D poisonous and infectious material
-Class E Corrosive Material
-Class F Dangerously Reactive Material
How are Classes B of classifying controlled products, further subdivided?
Class B Flammable and Combustible Material Division 1 Flammable Gases Division 2 Flammable liquids Division 3 Combustible Liquids Division 4 Flammable Solids Division 5 Flammable Aerosols Division 6 Reactive Flammable Materials
How are Classes D of classifying controlled products, further subdivided?
Class D Poisonous and Infectious Material
-Division 1 Material causing immediate and serous toxic effects:
Subdivision A very toxic material,
subdivision B toxic material
-Division 2 Materials causing other toxic effects:
subdivision A very toxic material, subdivision B toxic material
-Division 3 Biohazardous Infectious material
What is a label?
any mark, sign, device, stamp, seal, sticker, ticket, tag or wrapper
7 items of information that the supplier must put on the label of a controlled product
- Name of the product- can be chemical name, common name, generic name, if name is a trade secret the supplier can use a code name or number
- The name of the supplier
- reference to a MSDS-a statement alerting user that more info is available
- Hazard symbol-each WHMIS class has a corresponding hazard symbol, except for Class D that has 3 symbols, 1 for each division
- Risk Phrases- short statements describing hazardous properties
- precautionary measures
- first aid measures
What are design requirements of the supplier label??
- language: supplier label must be in English and French
- border
- layout: all required information must be present, and within the border
- color: must contrast with the background.
- Hazard symbols must be in a color that doesn’t cause confusion with a safety mark required by transportation of dangerous goods legislation
What are the duties of the supplier when labelling a controlled product that is packaged in outer and inner containers?
As a general rule, every container must have a WHMIS supplier label; however there are 4 exceptions. The supplier does not have to label:
1. An inner container, if the 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, ie. 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. ie. inner containers shrink wrapped in clear plastic
- an outer container, if the outer container is labelled according to transportation of dangerous goods legislation and all inner containers have WHMIS labels
What is a bulk shipment?
a shipment of a controlled product that is contained without intermediate packaging in:
- a vessel with a water capacity of more than 454 liters
- a freight container, a road vehicle, a portable tank, a freight container carried on a road vehicle, railway vehicle, ship or aircraft, or portable tank carried on a road vehicle, railway vehicle, ship or aircraft
- the hold of a ship
- a pipeline
How should the supplier label a bulk shipment?
When a controlled product is shipped in bulk it is usually transported to a worksite and then transferred to a storage container at the worksite.
- the supplier can send a label with the shipping documents
- the supplier can send the labeling information in the form of a written statement.
- The supplier can add the labelling information to the MSDS for the controlled product
What is a MSDS?
a technical document or bulletin that summarizes the health and safety information available about a controlled product. It supplements the warning information on the label.