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Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) training is mandatory for all university employees including staff, faculty, basic scientists, graduate students, student assistants, summer students and work study students. Re-certification is required every three years. Anyone who has completed WHMIS prior to April 2006 will need to re-certify.
On-line training is available via OWL. Use your Western personal computer username and password to login to OWL. Completion of the training will be monitored through Occupational Health and Safety and Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry Human Resources. A copy of your certificate must be submitted to the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology for your personnel file.
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) is a Canada-wide system developed jointly by labour, industry, and government to provide employers and workers with information about hazardous materials used in the workplace. The regulations affect suppliers, employers, and workers who use, supply or are exposed to hazardous materials.
WHMIS has been implemented across Canada through complimentary federal and provincial legislation. The federal legislation is contained in the Controlled Products Regulations under the Hazardous Products Act. In Ontario the WHMIS regulations are found in Regulation 860 under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The key components of the system include requirements for labels, material safety data sheets and worker training.
Objectives
- Identify hazardous materials used in the workplace.
- Improve hazard communication between suppliers, employers and workers.
- Protect workers who use hazardous materials.
- Ensure uniform compliance in all Canadian jurisdictions.
Requirements for Compliance
Labels
- All containers of a controlled product received at a workplace must have a supplier or lab supply house label.
- Controlled products placed into another container and those produced by an employer must be labeled with a workplace label.
Material Safety Data Sheets
- The employer must obtain or supply an up-to-date material safety data sheet (MSDS) for every controlled product used in the workplace.
- The MSDS must be less than three years old.
- The MSDS must be made available to the employees who use the material.
Worker Training
- All workers who work in the proximity of a controlled product must be instructed in: 1) Content and significance of supplier and workplace labels, 2) Content and significance of material safety data sheets. 3) Procedures for the safe use, storage, handling and disposal of controlled products. 4)Procedures to be followed in an emergency involving a controlled product.
- The worker training program must be developed in consultation with the joint health and safety committee.
- The worker training program must be reviewed annually or when conditions change
Responsibilities
Supplier:
- Required to classify the hazards of the products they are producing or distributing
- Supply the appropriate labels for the WHMIS products they distribute
- Write a material safety data sheet (MSDS) for each product they distribute
- Provide a current copy of the MSDS to the user for each product supplied to the user
Employer:
- Ensure all WHMIS controlled products in their facilities are labeled appropriately.
- Ensure that a current MSDS is available to each worker who uses or may be exposed to a controlled product.
- Provide worker training on the content and use of labels and MSDSs.
- Develop workplace specific procedures for the use, storage, disposal and emergencies involving hazardous materials used in their workplace.
Worker:
- Attend training provided by the employer.
- Follow work procedures developed by the employer for the use of hazardous materials.
- Apply a workplace label to any containers of controlled products which they produce.
- Report missing or incomplete MSDSs to their supervisor.
WHMIS Hazard Classifications
The follwoing products are exempt from the WHMIS legislations:
Wood and Wood Products
- there are hazards associated with some woods and wood products exempt from WHMIS
- includes: lumber, plywood, particle board, pressure treated wood, masonite, aspenite
Tobccao or Tobacco Products
- all tobacco products including second hand smoke
Manufactured Articles
- products being transported if handled in accordance with the Transportation of Dangerouse Goods Act
Hazardous Waste
The requirements for MAterial Safety Data Sheets and WMIS Labels do not apply to the following:
- Explosives within the meaning of the Explosives Act (cosmetics, devices, drugs, or food within the meaning of the Food and Drug Act includes veterinary medicines and dental materials)
- Controlled products within the meaning of the Pest Control Products Act (a PCP number appears on the label; extensive requirement sfor labeling and user training; inclused disinfectancts, insecticides, and weed killers)
- Presscribed substances within the meaning of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act (Campus users of these materials must meet the requirements of the University's consolidated license from the CNC)
- Products, materials or substances packaged as consumer products (These are products packaged and intended for retail sale; the shape of the hazard symbol on the label indicates the degree of hazard, stop sign shapesare the highest hazard; includes 4L of paint, bleach, and WD40)
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.
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