1. Training Room 1

1.3. Page 4

HCS3010: Workplace Safety Practices

Training Room 1: Defining Workplace Safety Principles and Practices

 

Introducing WHMIS

 

WHMIS is an important part of administrative controls for chemical hazards at your job site. Sounds like just a whole bunch of letters? WHMIS is more than just a fancy name. WHMIS may become a regular part of your work life. If you have not already taken a WHMIS course as part of a job, you will probably run into WHMIS through your work experience at some point.

 

Why do you need to know about WHMIS? Watch “Why WHMIS?” for two simple reasons.

 

 

This is a play button that launches Why WHMIS?

 

For now, you need to understand only the basics of WHMIS. You will learn more about WHMIS in Training Room 2 as you explore chemical safety practices in more detail.


This is a photo of a bowl of cereal.
George Doyle/Stockbyte/Thinkstock

Go get your favorite cereal from the cupboard. Look at the box.

  • Can you name the brand?
  • Can you find information on where the company is located?
  • Is there a list of ingredients?
  • Can you find other important information, such as nutrition facts or serving suggestions?

The point of this investigation wasn't to get to know your cereal; rather, the investigation was about the importance of getting information on products. Some products in the workplace can be harmful to you, and that’s where WHMIS comes in.

 

 

 

WHMIS stands for Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System and is a Canadian hazard-information system. WHMIS was established to

  • help workers identify hazardous materials
  • help workers use these materials in a safe manner

WHMIS has three main parts:

  • labels
  • Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
  • worker education

Learn more about these parts by watching “Making WHMIS Work”. This is only the first six minutes of the video. You will watch the rest of the video in Training Room 2.

 

 

This is a play button that launches "Making WHMIS Work."

© 2001, 2002, 2008, 2009 Worker's Compensation Board of British Columbia. All rights reserved.

 

 


 

Explore the three main parts of WHMIS in “WHMIS at Work.” Read through sections 2, 3, and 4 to find out about labels, MSDS, and worker education.

Discuss 2

Check your understanding of the three main parts of WHMIS by looking at this “WHMIS at Work” diagram. With a classmate, discuss how each of the parts of WHMIS come together to keep you, the worker, safe around chemical hazardous.