Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)

WHMIS stands for the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System. It is a comprehensive system for providing health and safety information on hazardous products intended for use, handling, or storage in Canadian workplaces.

A WHMIS program ensures that the information about hazardous products is effectively communicated to workers. Effective communication of information means that workers understand the WHMIS system, know the hazards of the products they work with, know and apply the safe work procedures specific to their jobs and tasks, and know how to respond in an emergency.

Hazard Identification
Product Labelling
Safety Data Sheets
Worker Education

Hazard Identification and Product Classification

Physical hazards

  • Based on the physical or chemical properties of the product such as flammability, reactivity, or corrosivity to metals

Health hazards

Based on the ability of the product to cause a health effect such as:

  • Eye Irritation
  • Respiratory sensitization (may cause allergy or asthma symptoms, or breathing difficulties)
  • Carcinogenicity (may cause cancer)
These groups are divided into classes and some classes are further divided into categories. The category tells you how hazardous the product is (category 1 within the same hazard class, is more hazardous than category 2)

Product Labelling

What are the types of labels for hazardous products?

There are two main types of WHMIS labels:

Supplier labels

  • It is the responsibility of the supplier to provide a supplier label for each hazardous product
  • A supplier label must include six fields of information and must be bilingual

Workplace labels

  • Needed if a hazardous product is produced and used in the workplace, if a hazardous product is decanted into another container or if a supplier label must be replaced
  • At minimum, a workplace label must include:
    • The product identifier (name)
    • Safe handling information
    • Reference to safety data sheet

What are pictograms?

Pictograms are graphic images that immediately show you what type of hazard a hazardous product represents. They have a red, diamond-shaped border; inside the border is a symbol that represents the hazard (e.g. fire, health hazard, corrosive). The “biohazard” pictogram is the only one without a border. Pictograms are assigned to specific hazard classes or categories.

 

WHIMIS Exploding Bomb Icon
Exploding Bomb

(for explosion or reactivity hazards)

WHIMIS Flame Icon
Flame

(for fire hazards)

WHIMIS Flame Over Circle Icon
Flame over circle

(for oxidizing hazards)

 

WHIMIS Gas Icon
Gas cylinder

(for gases under pressure)

WHIMIS Corosion Icon
Corrosion

(for corrosive damage to metals, as well as skin, eyes)

WHIMIS Skull Icon
Skull and Crossbones

(can cause death or toxicity with short exposure to small amounts)

 

WHIMIS Health Hazard Icon
Health hazard

(may cause or suspected of causing serious health effects)

WHIMIS Exclamation Mark Icon
Exclamation mark

(may cause less serious health effects or damage the ozone layer*)

WHIMIS Environment Icon
Environment

(may cause damage to the aquatic environment)

 

WHIMIS Biohazardous Icon
Biohazardous Infectious Materials

(for organisms or toxins that can cause diseases in people or animals)

SDS

CNC uses an online SDS program called CANManage to manage it’s SDS sheets throughout all of it’s campuses. Physical copies of these can be found in locations where items requiring SDS sheets are stored, such as janitorial rooms and trades shops. You can use this link to take you to the online database.

Learn More

Worker Education and Training

WHMIS training is mandatory for all employers in BC if the employer has controlled products in the workplace or workers exposed to controlled products. You can acquire your online WHMIS training course by emailing safety@cnc.bc.ca

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all

WHIMIS Q&A

  • What are the employers’ duties under WHMIS?

  • What are the workers duties under WHMIS?

Security & First Aid

Prince George

24 Hrs/ Day, 7 days/ week

Tel: +1 250-562-2131 ext. 200
Tel: +1 250-561-5827 (After Hours)

Burns Lake

Monday- Friday: 9:00am- 8:00pm

Tel: +1-250-692-6840 (9:00am- 4:00pm)
Tel: +1-250-251-0469 (4:00pm- 8:00pm)

Fort St. James

Monday- Friday: 8:30am- 4:00pm

Tel: +1-250-996-7019
TF: +1-800-371-8111 ext. 7101 

Mackenzie

Monday- Friday 8:30am- 4:30pm

Tel: +1-250-997-7200
TF: +1-877-997-4333 

Quesnel

Monday- Friday: 7:30am- 9:30pm
Saturday: 8:30am- 4:30pm

Tel: +1-250-255-4685

Vanderhoof

Monday- Friday: 8:30am- 4:00pm

Tel: +1-250-567-3200
TF: +1-877-567-3270