WHMIS

This section is a brief introduction to select topics related to the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, or WHMIS, as they apply to Confederation College.

The following topics are covered:

 

WHMIS Training:

  • WHMIS training is mandatory for all staff:  full-time, part-time, casual, or sessional.

  • Generic WHMIS training is delivered on-line. 

  • To receive your login information, e-mail Allison Hynnes at: [email protected]

  • Workplace-specific WHMIS training, particular to your department, school, program or campus, is the responsibility of your supervisor. 

WHMIS Inventories:

  • Annual Update of Inventory:  To ensure that your MSDS collection reflects the WHMIS-controlled products handled, stored or used in a department, school / program or campus, a physical inventory of WHMIS-controlled products is completed annually.

  • WHMIS Lead:  Each department, school or campus must have at least one in-house WHMIS Lead appointed by their respective Director, Dean, or Manager.  At the discretion of the Director, Dean or Manager, additional WHMIS Leads may be appointed for specific areas, spaces and / or programs.

  • The WHMIS Lead is responsible for updating their MSDS collection by June 30th of each year, with the information from the annual physical inventory of WHMIS-controlled products handled, used or stored in their respective department, school/program or campus.

  • Physical Inventory: The Director, Dean, and/or Manager may assign the completion of the physical inventory to any individual who has completed WHMIS training. Alternatively, at the discretion of the Director, Dean and/or Manager, the WHMIS Lead may be responsible for completing the physical inventory.

  • Physical inventories are completed using the WHMIS Inventory Sheet.

Hazardous Materials Inventory & Disposal:

  • Waste hazardous materials, hazardous materials that no longer meet specification (i.e. "off spec"),;hazardous materials that are surplus to your needs, and WHMIS-controlled products that are discontinued and no longer supported with current Material Safety Data Sheets, must be declared on the Hazardous Waste Inventory form.

  • Waste hazardous materials and surplus hazardous materials must be stored in your facility, prior to pick-up.

  • Pick-ups are arranged by each department / school through a registered hazardous waste carrier.

  • Please ensure that each waste product container is numbered to correspond to the numbers shown on the Hazardous Waste Inventory form.

  • The original of each Hazardous Waste Inventory form is forwarded to Public Safety and Risk Management.

  • Please have current contact numbers listed on the Hazardous Waste Inventory form so that the waste carrier can contact you when they are on-site.

  • The cost of hazardous waste disposal is borne by the requesting department or school.

  • Special Note #1:  Hazardous waste generated by the College cannot be disposed of as household hazardous waste: for example, at the free Household Hazardous Waste Depot at the John Street Landfill Site in Thunder Bay.

  • Special Note #2:  If your hazardous waste is also a dangerous good, you, or someone in your department/school, must be trained as a Transportation of Dangerous Goods consignor so that the Dangerous Goods Declaration prepared with the hazardous waste manifest can be legally signed off.  (Training can be arranged by contacting Allison Hynnes:  [email protected].)

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) / Safety Data Sheets (SDS):

It is the responsibility of each supervisor to ensure that a current Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) or Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is readily available for all WHMIS-controlled products used, handled or stored in the department, school / program or campus.  To achieve this, supervisors must ensure that:

  • a current MSDS or SDS accompanies all WHMIS-controlled products brought into the department or school: whether acquired through purchase order, by credit card or cash, or by donation.
  • hardcopy MSDSs and SDSs are printed and held in MSDS binders, available to staff or students using, handling or storing the WHMIS-controlled product.

Special Notes:

Under WHMIS 1988 regulations, a "current MSDS" is one that was issued three or fewer years ago. Dates of issue are listed on MSDSs. (Under WHMIS 2015 legislation, SDSs will not need to be renewed every 3 years.)

A WHMIS-controlled product that has been discontinued by the manufacturer, may no longer be supported by an MSDS or SDS. In those cases, the discontinued product must be declared as hazardous waste.

If an MSDS/SDS for a WHMIS-controlled product was not requested or received, or if the MSDS/SDS has been misplaced, and if it cannot be obtained from the supplier or manufacturer, staff can check the following free resource: Academic Support Program.

Academic Support Program:

You may be able to find an MSDS for your WHMIS-controlled product through the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety's "Academic Support Program" (ASP), to which the College subscribes. 

ASP can be accessed at the following link:  Academic Support Program (Health & Safety).

To access ASP off campus, login using your 14 digit staff card number and your PIN# (available from the Library).

Refer also to the MSDS Retrieval Instruction Sheet using the Academic Support Program.