What is WHMIS?
First implemented in 1988, the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) is Canada’s national hazard communication standard. It provides a comprehensive system for communicating health and safety information on hazardous products intended for use, handling, or storage in Canadian workplaces.
The major components of WHMIS include:
- Hazard identification and product classification
- Labeling of hazardous products
- Provision of safety data sheets (SDSs)
- Worker education and training
On February 11, 2015, Health Canada published revisions to the Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR), introducing the first significant updates to the WHMIS standard since 1988. The revised standard, known as WHMIS 2015, creates a host of new compliance requirements for chemical suppliers, importers, distributors and employers similar to OSHA’s GHS-aligned HazCom 2012 requirements in the United States.
