WHMIS template

What is WHMIS?

WHMIS, or Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, is a comprehensive, legislated program that ensures your "Right to Know " about the hazardous materials you are working with.

WHMIS is incorporated into the Occupational Health and Safety Act and is law in the Province of Ontario. This legislation very broadly states that if you work with, or in proximity, to controlled products your employer must take several steps to insure that the information you need to work safely with those hazardous materials is available to you and understood.

The WHMIS regulations have specific requirements for suppliers, employers and workers.

WHMIS training is online at uWaterloo and the training is valid for 5 years, after which time uWaterloo students/employees must re-take the WHMIS training.

Online modules for WHMIS can be found here

Suppliers

Anyone who manufactures, imports, distributes, repackages or sells controlled products as defined by the Hazardous Products Act and Controlled Products Regulations must:

Determine which of their products are "controlled products",
Assess applicable health and safety information, and
Transmit/obtain or prepare the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and apply a label as a condition of sale/importation.

Employers

That purchase, use, deploy, manufacture or dispose of controlled products must:

Ensure that all controlled products on site are properly labelled and current MSDSs are readily available to workers,
Provide WHMIS worker education and training and to apply appropriate workplace control measures to ensure the health and safety of workers

Workers

Who use, handle, dispose or are exposed to controlled products must;

Participate in the education and training programs on controlled products,
Take necessary steps to protect themselves and their co-workers, and
Participate in identifying and eliminating risks.

Examples of Controlled Products at Waterloo

Controlled products are found in every work/study area at UW, including offices, laboratories and corridors. Controlled products include:

Portable fire extinguishers,
Cleaning chemicals
Most aerosol cans (such as "Dust-Off, "WD-40", etc.)
Gas cylinders (helium tanks, etc.)

Under University of Waterloo Policy 34, Health, Safety and Environment, the University insists on compliance with legislative requirements and regulations. UW endeavours to apply the legislation equally to students and employees.