The National Office for the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Canada Adopts GHS for 2015

The Canadian Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) of Canada has decided to improve on their 27 year old requirement by incorporating elements found in the Globally Harmonized System of Classification. The new WHMIS 2015 will be an improvement of the original WHMIS that has been unchanged since 1988. Waiting until the last minute to comply with this new regulation will increase your likelihood of fines and penalties.

The new GHS elements that have been standardized are classification criteria, label requirements, and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) requirements. Classification criteria for WHMIS 2015 is changing slightly for hazard classes since the inception of WHMIS in 1988. To view the classes added to the WHMIS 2015 CCOHS’ Hazard Classes fact sheet provided by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety click here. The label requirements have also been changed including hazard classes and categories adoption of prescribed signal words, hazard classes, pictograms and precautionary statements. SDS will also follow the standard 16-section format established for all chemicals used in the workplace.

WHMIS 2015 is a new version of an old requirement, similar to that of OSHA’s HazCom 2012 GHS requirement for MSDS to SDS conversion, classifications, label elements and pictograms. The overall responsibilities of suppliers, employers and workers remains unchanged, however the changes are substantial and each business in the supply chain will have to adjust its business practice to accommodate the changes. To allow for an easy transition for all of those in effect, the WHMIS 2015 will take place over the course over the next few years, with the first phase compliance deadline on May 31, 2017. Important dates to remember are:

*HPR: Hazardous Products Regulations

*CPR: Controlled Products Regulations

*FPT OSH: Federal, Provincial and Territorial Occupational Health and Safety

After successfully helping our client’s navigate the transition from Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) to SDS to fulfill OSHA’s requirement under the GHS, Source Intelligence is uniquely qualified in helping you to manage compliance. With an innovative cloud based solution platform, panel of industry leading experts and 24/7 live customer support, Source Intelligence makes EH&S simple. Please click here for your complimentary assessment.