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WHMIS Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System

Independent Study

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Thank you

This course has been adapted from the WHMIS course provided by St. Michael's Hospital.

Bridgepoint Health would like to graciously acknowledge the contribution of St. Michael’s Hospital.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Understand the purpose of WHMIS in your

workplace.

2. Recognize controlled products in your workplace.

3. Know where to obtain more information on how to work safely with controlled products.

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What is WHMIS?

WHMIS is an acronym that stands for Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System.

Workplace

Hazardous

Materials

Information

System

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Origins of WHMIS

It is an initiative that was developed in the late 1980s to protect the health and safety of people working with controlled products in the workplace. This initiative called for suppliers to provide consistent information on use and handling of controlled products distributed to workplaces There are all sorts of Controlled products in a workplace that are potentially hazardous if not used or handled in a safe manner. This is what today’s learning will be on – showing you how to identify controlled products and know where to obtain more information.

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What is a controlled product?

Because controlled products are potentially hazardous to health, suppliers who make the controlled products must alert users and provide information on how to use and handle the product safely.

• Controlled products are potentially dangerous to your health if used or handled in an unsafe manner.

• In order to protect users, suppliers compare their product with properties of hazardous material of the Controlled Products Regulation.

• If the product meets the criteria of one or more of the six classes or eight categories then the supplier must provide safe handling instructions.

• This is done in accordance with federal legislation.

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Occupational Health and Safety Law

Controlled Products

Regulation

Ingredient Disclosure

List

Hazardous Materials

Information Review Act

Hazardous Materials

Information Review

Regulation

Regulation

Canada Labour

Code

Hazardous Products

Act

Bill C-70

Everyone has a shared responsibility to ensure the workplace is free from hazards – this is known as the Internal Responsibility System. Under health and safety law, workplace parties, such as the employer, supervisor and worker have specific responsibilities related to maintaining a safe and healthy work environment.

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Employer and Supervisor Responsibilities

The provincial legislations outlines roles and responsibilities for all workplace parties including the employer and worker. Please be sure to check out all the hospital policies on occupational health on the intranet. Here are some responsibilities the Employer and Supervisor share under health and safety law.

• To ensure all precautions necessary to protect the health and safety of workers.

• To provide worker education that ensures workers can apply information for their own safety and health.

• Maintain documentation of staff training.

• To ensure all controlled products received from supplier are properly labeled.

• To obtain and provide accessible and up-to-date Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for all controlled products in the workplace.

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Worker Responsibilities

Workers have the responsibility to inform supervisors/managers about unsafe working conditions or practices, such as damaged or missing label Participate in training offered and follow policies and procedures outlined by the employer Use and handle controlled products in a safe manner to protect yourself and co-workers

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WHMIS in the workplace Every year hundreds of workers are injured from needless expose to chemicals. Learning about WHMIS provides you with information on how to protect yourself in the workplace and at home. Even if you are not working with chemicals directly, you are expected to learn about WHMIS under health and safety law, since you work in close proximity to them.

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WHMIS Labels

WHMIS labels provide you with a quick at a glance warning and instruction on how to safely use the controlled product. The information is brief and concise but notifies you that there are more technical information stored elsewhere. There are various types of labels: supplier, workplace, laboratory and other. For this training purpose we will only cover the first two. For the other labels your supervisor/manager will provide you with additional training/orientation.

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Other Labels

Other means of identification include:

• Placard form

• Codes: colour coding or alpha/numeric

• Warning signs

Types of situations allowed:

• Product transferred to a new container to be used in laboratory only

• Hazardous waste produced

• Substances undergoing tests and analyses

• Product in transfer (e.g. pipes and conveyor belts)

Class Division Symbol Class A: Compressed Gas

Class B: Flammable & Combustible

B1 Flammable Gas B2 Flammable Liquids B3 Combustible Liquids B4 Flammable Solids B5 Flammable Aerosols B6 Reactive Flammable Material

Class C: Oxidizing

Class D: Poisonous & Infectious

D1 Immediate/Serious Toxic Effects D2 Toxic Materials Causing Other Effects D3 Biohazardous Infectious

Class E: Corrosive

Class F: Dangerously Reactive

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Accessing WHMIS Information

WHMIS Binder The department WHMIS binder is located in each work area/unit and contains a MSDS for products used in your area.

Master copies of all binders are located at Security, Stores, Occupational Health and the Engineering Office. The Master copy contains all the MSDS used throughout the hospital.

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How do Hazardous Materials enter the body?

Absorption

absorbed through the skin, eyes and any mucus membranes

Inhalation inhaled through the nose or mouth

Ingestion ingested when using contaminated hands to eat or smoke

Injection injected through a skin puncture and the substance enters the bloodstream

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Personal Protective Equipment

Here are some examples of personal protective equipment:

Gloves Respirator Respirator

Mask Goggles Face Shield

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MSDS: Material Safety Data Sheet For all controlled products there needs to be an accompanying material safety data sheet. A MSDS gives you more detailed information regarding the controlled product since labels only have so much space. It gives you specific information on how it may impact your health – such as potential short term and long term health effects.

• Potential health effects related to exposure.

• How to protect workers.

• Hazard evaluation related to use, storage and handling.

• Emergency procedures for accidental release.

• Needs to be readily available and accessible to workers.

• Needs to be up-dated every 3 years.

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Updating MSDS

• Up-dating MSDS

• MSDS must be up-dated every 3 years because:

• There may be new information on health effects

• Change in composition • Updated information on how to dispose

• New MSDS can be obtained by going to

the manufacturer’s website or calling them directly.

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Section 1: Product Identification and Use

Section 1 on product identification will tell give you the product name and manufacturer. The manufacturer’s contact information may be listed here so that you may contact the to obtain updated material safety data sheets.

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Section 2: Hazardous Ingredients

Under this section you will find the hazardous ingredient make up of the controlled product. However, with some products there may not be any information listed due to the fact that the manufacturer has applied for confidential business information.

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Confidential Business Information

• Hazardous ingredients are not always listed.

• Also known as “Proprietary” and “trade secret” • • Manufacturers may apply for CBI if revealing

the ingredient list could put them at a disadvantage with their competitors

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Mandatory Disclosure However, there is mandatory disclosure of proprietary information under the following conditions:

• Medical emergency for diagnosis or treatment.

• As required for enforcement of occupational health and safety (OH&S) legislation by an OH&S official.

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Section 3: Physical Data Section 3 is your double check to see what you have in your hand matches the physical description as described on the MSDS.

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Section 4: Fire and Explosions Data

This section will alert you of situations that may lead to a fire or explosion.

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Section 5: Reactivity Data

For those who have a chemical storage area, this section is important since it outlines any incompatibilities.

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Section 6: Toxicological Properties For all healthcare workers this section is extremely important. It is paramount that you read the MSDS prior to handling the controlled product to understand the potential health hazards associated with exposure.

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Section 7: Preventative Measures For those who have a chemical storage area, this section is important since it outlines any incompatibilities.

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Section 8: First Aid Measures This is another reason why you need to be familiar with the hazards you are working with. By reading this section you will know how to provide immediate first-aid measures if you or a coworker accidentally gets the product on you.

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Section 9: Preparation Date

Here you will find when the MSDS was written.

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Response to Chemical Exposure

• Immediately follow first-aid treatment as described in the MSDS.

• If medical attention is required, notify a supervisor/manager and proceed to the Emergency with the MSDS.

• Complete on-line event tracker.

• Report to the Corporate Health & Safety Services (2-Shuter).

• Sometimes it could be too late to read what is on the MSDS. Knowing beforehand how to react is important for your safety.

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Response to Accidental Release

1. Immediately alert others and secure the area.

2. If safe to do so, attend to people who may be contaminated.

3. Don personal protective equipment (PPE) as appropriate/needed to respond to the spill

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WHMIS Exemptions Part 1

There are many other products that can be dangerous to our health or the environment but do not require a WHMIS label or symbol. The following products are completely exempt from federal and provincial WHMIS requirements:

• Wood or wood products

• Tobacco or tobacco products

• Manufactured articles

• Hazardous waste

• Products being transported or handled in accordance with the Dangerous Goods Transportation Act (Ontario) or Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act (Canada)

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WHMIS Exemptions Part 2

Although certain classes of products are partially exempt from WHMIS they are regulated under other legislation with respect to labeling. In some instances, such as household cleaners, when they are brought into the hospital the supervisor is still required to provide training on safe handling. These categories of partially exempt goods include:

• Explosives (Explosives Act)

• Cosmetics, drugs, devices, or foods (Food and Drug Act)

• Pesticides (Pest Control Products Act)

• Radioactive products (Atomic Energy

• Control Act)

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Emergency Situations Incident Reporting

If you are exposed to a hazardous substance or material, an Employee Incident Report must be completed immediately and brought/sent to the Occupational Health and Wellness department.

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Emergency Situations Leak/Spill of Hazardous Materials

In the event a significant hazardous material spill occurs which:

CANNOT be handled by individuals on site

is immediately dangerous to the health, or

is of unknown hazardous potential

The person in charge of spill area should: Initiate the Emergency spill response “CODE BROWN” by calling extension 5555 Initiate the evacuation of the spill area

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Summary

• Internal Responsibility System – keeping the workplace safe is a shared responsibility.

• Learning about WHMIS and how to recognize labels and symbols are key to prevention.

• MSDS are up-dated every 3 years in order to obtain the most accurate information on the controlled product.

• Know where to obtain MSDS for the controlled products you use.

• Know the location of the WHMIS binder on your unit.

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Conclusion

• We have come to the conclusion of this training session.

• Thank you for your participation.