Ensure a safe workplace with WHMIS Article by Dr.Yashoda Tammineni .,HOD ,HSE ,Sr.Faculty, NIFS

WHMIS stands for Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System. WHMIS was designed to ensure the safety of employers and employees while at the workplace. In particular, the system was designed to keep workers and employers informed of the dangers and hazards associated with the chemicals and substances that they may come into contact with while on the job.

WHMIS , now known as WHMIS 2015, has changed to adopt new international standards for classifying hazardous workplace chemicals and giving information and safety data sheets.

WHMIS 2015 includes:

Ensuring that important safety information used by workers are easily located on labels and safety data sheets. 
Adopting internationally recognized methods for classifying hazardous workplace chemicals and providing detailed information and safety data sheets. 
Ensuring safety data sheets are consistent throughout all suppliers.  
Improving the visual elements of labels to include easy-understand pictograms to identify hazard classes. 
Updating the layout and format of safety data sheets.  
Modify the term of “Controlled Products” to the widely used term “Hazardous Products” in order to maintain consistency with federal WHMIS legislation. 
Distinguishing products into specific hazard groups, physical hazards, and health hazards.
WHMIS training is legally required for all employees who are exposed or likely to be exposed to a hazardous material or controlled product at the workplace.

The key elements of WHMIS and WHMIS training are labeling of containers, the provision of material safety data sheets (MSDSs)/ SDSs ) and worker education/training programs.

Each hazardous product must have a label and a datasheet. Labels identify the product's hazards and precautionary measures. Datasheets provide more detailed information. If the product is not classified as a hazardous product, the employer must still provide training, supervision, and safe work procedures.

Under WHMIS, the roles and responsibilities of employers and workers are:
Employers must:

Ensure that all hazardous products are properly labeled
Make SDSs readily available to workers
Prepare workplace labels and SDSs as necessary
Provide worker education and training
Workers must:

Participate in WHMIS training programs
Take the necessary steps to protect themselves and their co-workers
Participate in identifying and controlling hazards
Inform employers if labels are illegible or missing