WHMIS Training
Sarah Lamb
Biological/Chemical/Radiation Safety Officer
Environmental/Occupational Health & Safety Office
WHMIS…
W
H
M
I
S
Workplace
H
Hazardous
d
Materials
Information
System
Legislation
• WHMIS became law on
October 31, 1988
• WHMIS is a part of the
Occupational Health &
Safety Act
• Suppliers
Suppliers, employers and
workers all have specified
responsibilities for WHMIS
Components of WHMIS
Hazards are identified and products are
g
classified in WHMIS regulations
Ed
Education
ti and
dT
Training
i i
Label
Roles and Responsibilities
Producers & Suppliers of Controlled Products
Provide Labels and MSDSs
Employers
Provide Labels and MSDSs PLUS Education and Training
Workers
Roles and Responsibilities
• Workers
– Participate in WHMIS training
program
– Notify
f supervisor off any potential
hazards such as unlabelled
containers
– Apply
A l workplace
k l
labels
l b l when
h
transferring chemicals from one
container to another
– Wear
W
the
th proper personall protective
t ti
equipment (PPE) when handling
chemicals
Worker Education and Training
• WHMIS is your right to know
• What you should take from
thi session:
this
i
– Where to get information about
WHMIS-controlled
WHMIS
controlled products
– How to find out the associated
hazards
– How to protect yourself from
the hazards
– What to do in an emergency
Classes of WHMIS
Controlled Products
Controlled Products
•
Products, materials, and substances that
are regulated by WHMIS legislation
•
All controlled products fall into one or
more of six WHMIS classes
Class A
Class B
Class C
Class E
Class D
Class F
Class A: Compressed Gas
•
Any material that is a gas at normal pressure,
but packaged under pressure in a cylinder
•
Hazards due to high pressure;
– the cylinder can turn into a 'rocket' or
'torpedo' at great speeds
– heat may cause the gas to expand and the
cylinder could explode
– gas leaking
l ki from
f
a cylinder
li d is
i very cold
ld
and could cause frostbite to exposed skin
•
Examples: propane,
propane acetylene,
acetylene oxygen,
oxygen helium
Class B: Flammable and
Combustible Material
• Flammable
– the material will ignite below 37.8°C
• Combustible
– the material will ignite when heated
above
b
37.8°C
37 8°C
• A spark, flame or friction may
ignite these materials
• Examples: propane, acetylene,
varnish,
i h acetone
t
Class C: Oxidizing Material
• Materials that release oxygen
which contributes to the
combustion of other materials
• Can be a solid, liquid or gas
• Examples: oxygen, nitric acid,
sodium chlorite
Class D: Poisonous and Infectious
Material
Three divisions:
• Materials causing Immediate and Serious
Toxic Effects
• Very poisonous and immediately dangerous
to life and health
• Examples: cyanide,
cyanide styrene
• Materials causing Other Toxic Effects
• May
y take time to cause damage
g (i.e.
(
cancer))
or causes immediate but temporary effects
• Examples: asbestos, mercury, lead, benzene
• Biohazardous Infectious Materials
• Can produce disease or infection in humans
• Examples: blood and body tissues
Class E: Corrosive Material
• Can cause severe burns to skin
and other tissues such as eyes and
lungs
• Can attack clothes and other
materials such as metals
• Effects are permanent
• Examples: sulfuric acid, caustic
soda,
d ammonia
i gas
Class F: Dangerously Reactive
Material
• Can
Ca react
eact violently
o e t y under
u de certain
ce ta
conditions:
– contact with water
– bumped or dropped
– break down in a dangerous manner
• Unstable
• Examples: picric acid, ethylene
oxide
Are there any hazardous materials
not included in WHMIS?
Yes!
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
consumer restricted products
explosives
l i
cosmetics, drugs, food or devices
pest control products (pesticides,
herbicides insecticides
herbicides,
insecticides, etc)
radioactive materials
wood and products made of wood
a manufactured
f t
d article
ti l
tobacco or products made of
tobacco
hazardous wastes
Material Safety
Data Sheets
MSDS
• Material Safety Data Sheet
• Contains information on the potential
hazards (health,
(health fire,
fire reactivity and
environmental) and how to work
safely with the product
• MSDSs must be readily available to
the workers who are exposed to the
controlled product
MSDS
• When a product is purchased, the
supplier must include the most up
t d
to
date
t MSDS – updated
d t d within
ithi
last 3 years
• Your supervisor will give you the
MSDS before you are expected to
use the material
• The MSDS will be readily available
to you at any time during your
work
k with
ith the
th material
t i l
• Never hesitate to ask for an
MSDS!
MSDS Categories
1.
Product Information: product identifier (name),
manufacturer and suppliers names, addresses, and
emergency phone numbers
2.
Hazardous Ingredients
3.
Physical Data
4.
Fire or Explosion Hazard Data
5.
Reactivity Data: information on the chemical
instability of a product and the substances it may
react with
6.
Toxicological Properties: health effects
7.
Preventive Measures
8.
First Aid Measures
9.
Preparation Information: who created MSDS and
date of preparation
WHMIS Labels
WHMIS Labels
• There are two main types of
labels:
– Supplier
• Must be attached to container
when
h shipped
hi
d from
f
supplier
li
• Cross-hatched border
– Workplace
• If a material is transferred from its
original container
container, a workplace
label must be attached
• If a material is not leaving the
laboratory a laboratory workplace
laboratory,
label can be used
Supplier Label
1. Product Name
2. Supplier Name
3. Hazard Symbols
4. Risk Phrases
5. Precautionary Measures
6. First Aid Measures
7. MSDS Reference
Workplace Label
Three main components of a workplace label:
Workplace Labels for Laboratories
•
For any sample that will never
leave the laboratory, a simplified
label may be used
•
The label must give the worker
enough information to identify the
chemical
h i l and
d obtain
bt i the
th MSDS
– Full name of chemical
– Concentration, if known
– Any other information to ensure the
safe
f use, handling
h dli and
d storage
t
off the
th
chemical
Chemical Name
Concentration
Emergency Response
Emergency Response
Emergency phone numbers:
– 911 ffor any iin-progress
emergencies
• Remember to dial 9-911
9 911 if
using a campus phone
– then call Special Constable
Service at extension 3333
Emergency Response at Laurier
• This poster is
l
located
t d in
i every
classroom and
laboratory on
campus and
d
instructs on fire
alarm procedures
• Be familiar with
the emergency
exits for rooms
you are working
in
Emergency Response
•
Accidents
– All accidents must be
reported to the EOHS office
– An Employee Accident
Report must be completed
by
y the supervisor
p
and sent
to the EOHS office
– The Employee Accident
R
Report
t is
i available
il bl on the
th
EOHS website
www.wlu.ca/eohs under
“Forms”
Questions?