WHMIS

– Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System

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.

Non-Compliance is Costly

WHMIS is enforced by the Labour Branch of Human Resources Development Canada for federal workplaces, and by the provincial or territorial agencies responsible for occupational health and safety for most other workplaces.

Violations of the WHMIS standard can result in fines of up to $1,000,000 and two years’ imprisonment. Similar fines and prison terms may also be handed out at the provincial level, and can even lead to seizure of products and stop work orders.

How VelocityEHS Can Help

VelocityEHS Chemical Management, part of the Safety Solution, is the world’s most popular solution for managing SDSs, chemicals and GHS aligned best-practices. With millions of SDSs and tools for easy generation of GHS styled labels and RTK access for employees, VelocityEHS puts decades of hazcom expertise at your fingertips. Additionally, VelocityEHS makes it easy to comply with Canada’s rigorous SDS updating rules, and gives your people the ability to request SDSs with a click of a button.

Explore Our Visitor & Contractor Visibility Capabilities

WHMIS is part of our Safety Solution. To see the full set of features, click here.

Detailed container management & tracking

Industry’s best SDS database

Automated cross-reference of EHS chemicals

Flagging of chemical exceeding reporting thresholds

Generate submittable Tier II Form

Map storage location of hazardous chemicals

Share chemical information directly with first responders

Detailed container management & tracking

Industry’s best SDS database

Automated cross-reference of EHS chemicals

Flagging of chemical exceeding reporting thresholds

Generate submittable Tier II Form

Map storage location of hazardous chemicals

Share chemical information directly with first responders

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