Regulations & Compliance

Today, Health Canada published a number of highly-anticipated amendments to the Canadian Hazardous Product Regulations (HPR) in Canada Gazette II that will make it easier for hazardous product suppliers to protect confidential business information (CBI) when disclosing ingredients on safety data sheets (SDSs) for the hazardous products they manufacture and sell. Prescribed concentration ranges, as […]

Health Canada’s implementation of GHS will follow a series of phased-in WHMIS 2015 compliance deadlines scheduled to occur during 2018, with requirements for suppliers coming into force June 1, and those for employers becoming effective December 1. While there are numerous differences between each group’s requirements, one which may be a point of significant confusion […]

It’s shaping up to be a big year for hazard communication in Canada. Health Canada’s alignment between GHS and the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS 2015) is scheduled for completion during 2018. The June 1 compliance deadline for suppliers is just around the corner, with deadlines for distributors and employers following shortly after. If […]

Is Your 300A Accurate? Compliance Tips Before the February 1 Deadline It’s almost that time again! Employers in the United States who are subject to OSHA’s Recordkeeping Rule are required to post a signed copy of their Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (Form 300 A) in a location accessible to employees by February 1. […]

Laptops are rapidly replacing traditional computing stations in the workplace due to an increase in the number of remote workers and a heavier emphasis on mobility. However, with a more portable and compact computer comes a new set of ergonomics challenges; follow these four tips to help you address them Laptop users tend to position […]

When workers aren’t properly trained on workplace hazards and appropriate safety protocols, your business is at risk. Yet, deploying, tracking and managing workplace training is an uphill battle. Our article in the January issue of ISHN discusses common workplace training challenges and ways in which technology is helping to ease these burdens. Below, we review how today’s […]

As 2017 draws to a close, it’s a perfect time to recap OSHA and Health Canada’s regulatory activities regarding GHS, HazCom 2012 and WHMIS 2015 that have occurred this year. Let’s take a look back at what has happened, and paint a picture for the future of hazard communication.  OSHA’s Top 10 List – OSHA […]

For many safety professionals, Management of Change (MOC) tends to conjure up thoughts of OSHA’s Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard, EPA’s Risk Management Plan (RMP) Rule, or other complex regulations intended to help prevent major accidents or environmental releases involving hazardous chemicals. While certainly required by numerous safety and environmental regulations, the value of MOC […]

For operations involving hazardous processes, change management can be a matter of life and death. Operational failures resulting from insufficiently planned changes can cause catastrophic events such as explosions or chemical releases that endanger human lives, and the environment. That is why OSHA developed the Process Safety Management (PSM) of Highly Hazardous Chemicals Standard, which […]

On November 17, Health Canada published its Policy on Managing Incomplete Claims for Exemption Filed under the Hazardous Materials Information Review Act (HMIRA). The new policy is intended to prevent confidential business information (CBI) claims from being held up in the review process due to missing or incomplete claim information. Upon formal notice of incomplete […]