WHMIS Training. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)

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1 Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Introduction WHMIS training requirements are designed to ensure that workers are aware and understand the hazards and safe handling information about controlled products that exist in the workplace. Employers are required to provide training to all workers including managers and supervisors who work with, or work in proximity to, controlled products. Required training is necessary for: new workers, those who change jobs, those whose work conditions change and when the hazard information changes. An annual review of WHMIS training is required by regulation. An employer shall ensure that every worker who works with or in proximity to a controlled product is instructed in: o Content, purpose and significance of supplier and workplace labels o Content, purpose and significance of Material Safety Data Sheets o Procedures for the safe use, storage, handling and disposal of controlled products o Such products contained or transferred in piping systems, and a process vessel o Procedures to be followed when fugitive emissions are present o Procedures to be followed in case of an emergency involving a controlled product o Any hazard information about the controlled product. What is WHMIS? The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) is a Canada-wide system designed to give employers and workers information about hazardous materials used in the workplace. WHMIS applies to all workplaces covered by the Occupational Health and Safety Act and to all work areas and locations of Hunters Pointe Golf Course. The regulations affect suppliers, employers, and workers who use, supply or may be exposed to hazardous materials. Under WHMIS, there are three ways in which information on hazardous materials is to be provided: o Labels on the containers of hazardous materials o Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) to supplement the label with detailed hazard and precautionary information o Worker education programs Supplier responsibilities under WHMIS include: o Determining which hazardous materials are controlled products o Labeling all controlled products o Providing current copies of MSDS for all materials sold Employer responsibilities under WHMIS include: o WHMIS education and training o Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) o Workplace Labels Employee responsibilities under WHMIS include: o Participating in WHMIS training o Applying knowledge learned within the workplace 1

2 Why was WHMIS Developed? The purpose of WHMIS is to give all working Canadians a uniform and appropriate quantity and quality of information about hazardous materials used in the workplace. By setting standards for the type and amount of information to be given to the users of hazardous materials, it is expected that accidents and diseases caused by hazardous materials in the workplace will be reduced. Who Developed WHMIS? WHMIS was developed jointly by labour, industry and federal, provincial and territorial governments. In Ontario, both the federal and provincial WHMIS legislation is enforced by provincial Ministry of Labour inspectors, except in federal government workplaces, where Human Resources Development Canada, Labour Program inspectors enforce the legislation. WHMIS is implemented by a combination of federal and provincial legislation. The main purpose of the federal WHMIS legislation is to require the suppliers of hazardous materials used in the workplace to provide health and safety information about their products as a condition of sale. The main purpose of the provincial WHMIS legislation is to require employers to obtain health and safety information about hazardous materials in the workplace and to pass this information on to workers. Worker Rights and Responsibilities Under WHMIS Worker Rights WHMIS gives workers the right to know about the hazardous materials they are exposed to on the job. This includes the right to review labels and MSDS s, and to receive instruction and training. Workers also have the right to be consulted regarding the development and implementation of instruction and training. This means that workers have the right to be included in discussions of the content of the program, the amount of training, who is to receive what training, who delivers the training, etc. Finally, workers have the right to refuse work, if they believe that the conditions are hazardous or unsafe. Worker Responsibilities Neither the Occupational Health and Safety Act nor WHMIS Regulation places direct duties on the worker regarding the implementation of WHMIS. However, the general duties of the worker as originally set out in the Act are very important to the successful implementation of WHMIS. One of these duties is the duty of the worker to report to the employer any violation of the Act or regulations. With respect to implementing WHMIS, the worker should inform the employer if the worker does not have the proper information on a controlled product. WHMIS Labels Labels are required for all containers of any hazardous material. They must be securely attached to the outside of a container. Labels act as a means of delivering a quick glance of information regarding the hazards associated with the material and direct the user to more detailed information on the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). There are two types of labels you would find in a workplace: Workplace Label and Supplier Label. Workplace Labels Workplace labels are supplied by Hunters Pointe Golf Course and are required whenever a product is decanted to an unlabelled container or when a supplier label becomes defaced, damaged or is missing. Information on a workplace label includes: o Product identifier o Information on the safe handling and hazards o Statement that an MSDS is available 2

3 Supplier Labels Supplier labels are provided by the supplier with the product when it is sold. Content must be within the standard WHMIS border, written in both English and French and include: o Product Identifier o Hazard Symbols o Risk Phrases o First Aid Measures o Precautionary Measures o Supplier Identifier o MSDS Statement Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) provide information on the hazardous ingredients, properties and potential hazards of a product. It is important reference material that explains how to use the product safely and what to do in case of an emergency. MSDS must be present, current and readily available for all hazardous materials within Hunters Pointe Golf Course. The supplier is responsible for sending a MSDS with or prior to the shipment of each controlled product. They must review and update the MSDS when the information changes or every three years. The MSDS must be supplied in either French or English as requested by the employer. The employer must obtain a MSDS for each controlled product or hazardous material used in the workplace. The MSDS must be updated within 90 days of new information becoming available or every three years. The MSDS must be available to all workers and to the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee. It is the responsibility of the supervisor of each area to ensure that the appropriate MSDS s are readily available. If you feel that a MSDS is incomplete, or do not fully understand it, contact your supervisor before you work with the material. Be sure to read the MSDS when you receive new materials. Complete understanding of MSDS is a key prevention to workplace incidents and injury. A properly prepared MSDS must have the following nine (9) pieces of information: 1. Product Identification: Material name should match what is on the container. 2. Physical Data: Includes boiling point, solubility in water, evaporation rate, etc. This information will help you predict reactivity so you can select appropriate ventilation and safety response equipment. 3. Reactivity Data: Guide for knowing what appropriate storage and handling is for the type of material. Provides information on what is most hazardous when other materials combine with the material covered by the MSDS. 4. Preventative Measures: Provides methods to reduce exposure to the hazardous material. Particular methods may include protective equipment (gloves, aprons, safety glasses), and/or ventilation, etc. Storage and handling precautions, handling of spills and waste disposal are also included in this section. 5. Preparation Information: Date of preparation is provided by the creator of the MSDS. 6. Hazardous Ingredients: Lists individual chemicals in the product and the percentage of concentration relative to the product. Exposure limits are also included in this section. 7. Fire and Explosion Data: Indicates flammability and what type of fire extinguishers are required. 8. Toxicological Properties: Describes all routes of entry for the material. Acute and chronic health effects must be stated, as well as, if the material is carcinogenic. 3

4 9. First Aid Measures: Indicates what to do in case bodily contact is made with the chemical through the routes of entry. These are immediate actions to take. Professional medical treatment should still be obtained as soon as possible. MSDS s may look different from each supplier, but complete MSDS s will contain all of the above information. WHMIS Exempt Products The requirements for MSDS and WHMIS labels do not apply to the following because they are covered under other federal legislation: o Explosives within the meaning of the Explosives Act o Cosmetics, devices, drugs or food within the meaning of the Food and Drug Act includes veterinary medicines and dental materials o Controlled products within the meaning of the Pest Control Products Act o Prescribed substances within the meaning of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act o Products, materials or substances packaged as consumer products The following are products also exempt from WHMIS legislation: o Wood and Wood Products o Tobacco and Tobacco Products o Manufactured Articles o Products being transported if handled in accordance with the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act o Hazardous Waste Users of these products must comply with all labeling procedures required in each of the above Acts and regulations. Employers are required to train employees regarding the hazards, safe handling, storage and disposal of such materials. Routes of Entry and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Hazardous Materials can enter the body through four different ways: o Inhalation (through the mouth/nose breathing) o Absorption (through the skin or other body tissue) o Ingestion (swallowing) o Injection (needle stick, puncture) Methods for choosing appropriate personal protective equipment to protect from the above include: o Consulting the MSDS o Reviewing the supplier or workplace label of the hazardous product being used o Asking your supervisor for assistance o Using best practice. For example, implementing material substitution; whenever possible use materials that present no hazard and therefore no PPE will be required. Examples of personal protective equipment include: o Gloves (rubber, neoprene, leather) o Safety glasses (goggles/face shield) o Protective clothing (aprons, life jackets) o Footwear (shoes, boots, environment specific) o Sunscreen and insect repellent o Ear plugs, muffs o Head protection (helmets, hard hats, bump helmets) 4

5 WHMIS Classification What is a Controlled Product? There are six hazard classes for hazardous materials covered by WHMIS. Each class requires its very own symbol, whereby any material that falls within each class is considered a controlled product. A controlled product is any product that can be included in any of the following 6 classes: Class A: Class B: Class C: Class D: Class E: Class F: Compressed Gas: Contents under high pressure. Cylinder may explode or burst when heated, dropped or damaged. Flammable and Combustible Material: May catch fire when exposed to heat, spark or flame. May burst into flames. 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 Oxidizing Material: May cause fire or explosion when in contact with wood, fuels or other combustible material. Poisonous and Infectious Material: Division 1: Material Causing Immediate and Serious Toxic Effects: Poisonous substance. A single exposure may be fatal or cause serious or permanent damage to health. Division 2: Materials Causing Other Toxic Effects: Poisonous substance. May cause irritation. Repeated exposure may cause cancer, birth defects, or other permanent damage. Division 3: Biohazardous Infectious Material: May cause disease or serious illness. Drastic exposures may result in death. Corrosive Material: Can cause burns to eyes, skin or respiratory system. Dangerously Reactive Material: May react violently causing explosion, fire or release of toxic gases, when exposed to light, heat, vibration or extreme temperatures. 5

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