W H M I S

W O R K P L A C E   
H A Z A R D O U S    M A T E R I A L S
I N F O R M A T I O N    S Y S T E M

A Canada-wide system in which suppliers, employers and workers each have their own responsibilities.

WHMIS is there to protect the health and safety of workers by promoting access to information on hazardous materials used in the workplace

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SUPPLIERS WHO . . .		EMPLOYERS WHO . . .		WORKERS WHO . . .
manufacture, import, distribute or sell hazardous materials		purchase, use or manufacture controlled products		use controlled products at work
determine which of their products are controlled products Obtain information about their controlled products, prepare and provide this information in the form of labels and material safety data sheets update the information on their controlled products every three years or as soon as there is new information about them		ensure that all controlled products (purchased, produced on site or decanted) are properly labeled obtain updated material safety data sheets from the supplier or produce them themselves for the controlled products manufactured on site collaborate in the development of a training and information program on the controlled products and ensure that it is updated annually ensure that employees are trained and informed and that the acquired knowledge is put into practice		participate in the training and information program on controlled products take the necessary steps to protect themselves and their coworkers participate in identifying and eliminating risks

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A system governed by laws

WHMIS is governed by federal and provincial laws and regulations. Any person supplying or using controlled products must comply with it.

Suppliers are governed by federal legislation, specifically the Hazardous Products Act (part II) and the Controlled Products Regulation.

Employers are governed by provincial legislation, specifically the Act respecting occupational health and safety (article 62) as well as the Regulation respecting information on controlled products.

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Any questions ?

You don't know whether the products that you supply or use are controlled products...

You want to know more about the laws and regulations...

You want to set up a training program for your employees...

Do not hesitate to contact :

Your regional CSST office The CSST's Service du répertoire toxicologique (Toxicological Index) Your joint sector-based association Your CLSC (occupational health team)

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A system that defines
six classes
of « controlled » products

WHMIS divides hazardous materials into six main classes based on their specific hazards. If a product corresponds to one or more of these classes, it becomes a « controlled » product

	Classes	Definition	Examples
	A    Compressed gases	Products held under pressure	Oxygen Propane
	B    Flammable and        combustible materials       B1 Flammable gases       B2 Flammable liquids       B3 Combustible liquids       B4 Flammable solids       B5 Flammable aerosols       B6 Reactive flammable materials	Products that will burn or catch on fire easily	Propane Acetone Kerosene Magnesium Sodium
	C    Oxidizing materials	Products that can cause or promote combustion of another material (whether or not they are themselves combustible) or products that are organic peroxides	Hydrogen peroxide Nitric acid
	D1  Materials causing        immediate and serious        toxic effects	Products that can rapidly cause harmful health effects, including death	Carbon monoxide Phenol
	D2  Materials causing other        toxic effects	Products whose health effects generally appear over time following one or several exposures	Benzene Diisocyanates Lead
	D3  Biohazardous infectious        materials	Living organisms or their toxins that can cause disease in people or animals	AIDS virus Hepatitis B virus Rabies virus
	E    Corrosive materials	Products that can corrode metal surfaces or cause burns to skin	Caustic soda Hydrochloric acid Bleach
	F    Dangerously reactive        materials	Products that can be health or safety hazards under certain conditons (pressure, temperature, impact, violent reaction with water or air)	Fluorine Hydrogen cyanide B-Chloroprene