What is WHMIS?

                                                                                         

The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) is a Canadian protection program set forth to ensure the safety of Canadian workers. The main point of WHMIS is to make workers more aware of the products they are using, which in turn will ensure their safety at work, and the longevity of their health. This program provides rules and regulations in regards to hazardous materials within the workplace. There are three main areas of WHMIS that are used to provide this information to workers; labelling of the hazardous material containers, production and release of material safety data sheets (MSDSs), and worker awareness programs.

The most important part of this program is educating the workers who handle the hazardous materials. Because of this the employers are the ones who have the large responsibility of training their employees, as it is required by law. Every employee must be familiar with hazardous product classification, and be able to read and understand the corresponding product labels and MSDSs.

The labels on a WHMIS controlled product are extremely important as they declare the hazard classification of the product, as well as precautions that must be taken when being used. The label will also state if there is an available MSDS for the product, which will have further information about the material.

The MSDS contains information about the potential hazards the chemical may cause, specifically in regards to health, fire, reactivity, and environmental issues. An MSDS by WHMIS standards also contains the hazardous chemical’s use, storage, handling and emergency procedures. Training programs ensure that workers understand what everything in the MSDS means and also where to find specific information within the MSDS.

Having the labels and MSDSs available for the workers makes safe working with the chemical possible. WHMIS education takes place so all workers know what the hazards of certain products are and how to use the product safely. Furthermore WHMIS training teaches how to recognize symptoms of someone being exposed to the chemical, what should be done if an accident occurs, and what to expect if these recommendations are not followed.

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For further information on WHMIS and MSDS please visit http://www.nexreg.com/

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