WHMIS

WHMIS (or Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) - pronounced "WHIM-ISS" - is Canada's national hazard communication program for hazardous workplace chemicals. In French, it is known as Système d'information sur les matières dangereuses utilisées au travail, or SIMDUT. Established in 1988, WHMIS was developed (and continues to evolve) through a well-established consensus process in partnership between Canada's federal, provincial and territorial (F/P/T) governments, as well as with individuals representative of Canadian industry (i.e., suppliers and employers) and organized labour.

WHMIS is analogous to the American Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) administered by the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration. After the HCS, Canada's was the 2nd such national workplace hazard communication system for industrial/commercial chemicals established in the world.

The hazard communication elements of WHMIS include appropriate labelling of controlled products and hazardous material, as well as comprehensive Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) and worker education and training programs.

WHMIS is implemented through complementary and interlocking federal, provincial and territorial legislation.

The Canadian Hazardous Product Act, Part II and associated Controlled Products Regulations, administered by the federal agency: Health Canada, require suppliers and importers to appropriately label controlled products and to transmit or obtain MSDSs as a condition of sale or importation. The legislation also places a defacto requirement on suppliers and importers to assess their products against specified hazard classification criteria established in the Part IV of the Controlled Products Regulations.

Occupational health and safety legislation, administered by each of Canada's F/P/T governments, require Canadian employers to ensure that controlled products are appropriately labelled in the workplace, that associated MSDSs are made available to workers, and that workers are educated and trained to ensure the safe storage, handling, use and disposal of controlled products in order to protect worker health and safety.