In April 2015, the Federal Government of Canada published the final Hazardous Products Regulations, which along with the amendments to the Hazardous Products Act will implement the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) in Canada.
Below are the current implementation status of each Province and Territory and the important dates in leading up to WHMIS 2015 final implementation.
Implementation Status:
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In Progress:
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Done:
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No Progress:
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These Provinces have taken some steps to implement WHMIS 2015, such as proposing new regulations or making necessary changes to their OHS acts. However, there are more steps that need to be taken.
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Have all implemented the necessary changes to their OHS acts and regulations to move forward.
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They have taken no steps towards implementing WHMIS 2015.
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Important Dates:
Phase 1 (February 11, 2015- May 31, 2017)
The first phase began on February 11, 2015 when the Hazardous Products Act took effect. Phase 1 will end on May 31, 2017.
As of June 1, 2017, chemical manufacturers and importers must sell all hazardous products with both the labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) that comply with WHIMS 2015.
During this first phase:
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- Suppliers that are chemical manufacturers or importers must sell hazardous products with either the old WHMIS 1988 labels and SDSs or the new WHMIS 2015 labels.
Phase 2 (June 1, 2017 – May 31, 2018)
During this phase:
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- Employers may continue to both receive and use hazardous products with either the old WHMIS 1988 labels and SDS or WHMIS 2015.
Phase 3 (June 1, 2018 – November 30, 2018)
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- Employers will have six months of the transition to bring existing inventories of hazardous products into compliance with WHMIS 2015.
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- By December 1, 2018, transition into WHIMIS 2015 will be complete for all parties.
For more information please visit OHS Insider. Please contact Nexreg for more information about WHMIS Regulations and GHS Compliance.