Health Canada- WHMIS 2015

Team Nexreg

8 years ago

In Canada, the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS 2015) requirements are in the Hazardous Product Act (HPA), and the new Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR).

There have been some recent regulatory changes to WHMIS 1988 as both HPA modifications and the new HPR come into force.

Hazard Classes

Under the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), there are three types of hazard classes:

1. Health Hazard Classes:

- Products/substances that are hazardous to a person’s health, (e.g. skin sensitization).

1. Physical Hazard Classes:

- Represent the hazards related to physical and chemical properties, (e.g. flammability).

1. Environmental Hazard Classes:

- Hazardous to the aquatic and to the ozone layer.

Here is information about the Hazard Classes that are discussed in the HPR.

Health Hazards

Physical Hazards

Environmental Hazards

- All GHS Health Hazard classes have been adopted in Canada by the HPR.

- Biohazardous Infectious Materials, which are not a GHS Health Hazard Class, are within the HPR to maintain worker protection.

- All GHS physical hazard classes, except the Explosives hazard classes have been adopted in Canada under the HPR.

- The new physical hazard classes such as, Combustible Dusts and Simple Asphyxiants, have been added in the HPR for the protection of workers.

- The GHS Environmental hazard classes have yet to be added to the HPR.

Safety Data Sheets

The concept of communicating the hazards of a product on an SDS remains the same under the new HPR. However, there are different pictograms and statements are required under the HPR than were required under the Controlled Products Regulations (CPR).

Canada and the U.S

Both Canada and the US are working together to keep the differences to an absolute minimum, and the variances that remain are necessary to maintain the current level of protection for Canadian workers. Through the implementation of GHS, it is possible to meet both of the countries requirements by using a single label and SDS for each hazardous product.

For more information about the New Hazardous Products and Regulations Requirements, please visit Health Canada. Please contact Nexreg for all your Canadian and Global SDS services, and GHS Compliance.