WHMIS-GHS Presentation CPA 2014 Ottawa

How Will the “GHS” Standard
Impact Propane Suppliers,
Distributors, and End Users?
Canadian Propane Association Leadership Summit
May 2014
Chris Jodouin
WHMIS
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
O 25 years
O Created to improve workplace safety
O Balances:
O Workers’ right to know
O Industry’s right to protect confidential
business information
WHMIS
is going to
change
On March 28, 2014
O Federal government introduced
legislation to amend the
Hazardous Products Act
O Amendments are included in Bill
C-31  federal budget, omnibus
bill
Implications
O Will change the rules governing the import
and sale of subject “hazardous products” -including propane, propane mixtures, and
other LPGs
O Industrial and commercial participants in
the supply chain will be affected
Will Impact You
If You:
 Have customers (industrial/ commercial)
 Have employees
 Manage a facility
 Manage an organization
 Manage or supervise staff
 OHS / compliance role
Topics
O How the WHMIS “system” works
O Why it’s going to change
O What will change
O How you can “Lead from the Front”
Topic 1: WHMIS As It Is Today
O Workplace Hazardous Materials Information
System (WHMIS) is made up of numerous Acts and
Regulations, including:
O Federal legislation governing the sale of “controlled
products” in Canada
O Occupational health & safety legislation governing
the storage, use, and handling of “controlled
products” in Canadian workplaces
(provincial/territorial/federal)
Objective of WHMIS
O To protect the health and safety of Canadian
workers
O Suppliers provide information to employers
about product hazards, safe work practices,
and emergency response procedures
O Employers communicate this information to
employees, and provide training
WHMIS: Main Features
Communication:
 Labels
 Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
 Education and Training
“Unique” Canadian Legislation
WHMIS
Supplier
Label
Really Hot Propane
Anywhere, Canada
Material
Safety
Data
Sheets
• 9 sections
• Content mandated
A Hazard
Communication
System
How WHMIS Works:
Marketplace
O Suppliers must classify their products
O If product meets WHMIS criteria, supplier must:
O Prepare and apply WHMIS labels to containers
O Prepare MSDSs, and distribute them to their customers,
per Hazardous Products Act and associated legislation
How WHMIS Works:
Marketplace
O Classification criteria
O Hazard symbols
O Info required on supplier labels
O Content of MSDS…
are specified in the federal
Controlled Products Regulations
How WHMIS Works:
Workplace
O OH&S legislation requires employers and
workers to use this information to:
O Identify hazards
O Work safely
O Be prepared to respond to emergencies
O OH&S Act & Regulations (provincial/territorial)
O Canada Labour Code, Part II (federal)
How WHMIS Works: An Example
Producer or
Importer (Supplier)
↓
Distributor
↓
Consumer
(industrial/ commercial)
1. Evaluates and Classifies product
2. Provides labels/ MSDS to customers
3. Complies with OH&S duties of employer
↓
1. Provides labels/ MSDS to customers
2. Complies with OH&S duties of employer
↓
Complies with OH&S duties of employer
Topic 2:
Why WHMIS Is Changing
O Update the system – improve quality
of information and employee
protection
O Reduce barriers to trade
System Update
O Need to improve the quality and consistency
of information on labels
and MSDSs
O Different info from each supplier
O Products from other countries
WHMIS Is A
“Canada-Only” System
O Barrier to international trade
 Costs Canadian importers and exporters
effort, time and money
 Importers must “Canadianize” label and
MSDS info
 Exporters must comply with other label/ MSDS
standards
A Catalyst For Change
U.S. – Canada
Regulatory Cooperation Council:
O Created in 2011
O To reduce trade barriers by harmonizing
legislation, including safety standards and
regulations
A Catalyst For Change
U.S. and Canadian governments have
committed to harmonizing
label/ MSDS legislation
O U.S. is currently implementing “HCS 2012”
(Hazard Communication Standard)
O Canada amending Hazardous Products Act
and other WHMIS legislation
Topic 3: What Will Change
WHMIS-related legislation
will be amended
to enable adoption of an
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD
GHS
Globally Harmonized System
of Classification
and Labelling
of Chemicals
GHS
O Conceived in 1992
O Used in over 70 countries
GHS Features Added to WHMIS
 GHS hazard classifications
 New hazard symbols
 New labels
 Revised Safety Data Sheet
(SDS)
 Standardized phrases
GHS Features Added to WHMIS
 GHS hazard classification
system:
o 16 classes PHYSICAL hazards
o 10 classes HEALTH hazards
o ENVIRONMENTAL
Canada?)
hazards (not
Physical Hazards
16 Classes:
• Explosives
• Flammable Gases
• Flammable Aerosols
• Oxidizing Gases
• Gases under Pressure
• Flammable Liquids
• Flammable Solids
• Self-reactive Substances and Mixtures
Physical Hazards
• Pyrophoric Liquids
• Pyrophoric Solids
• Self-heating Substances and Mixtures
• Substances and Mixtures that Emit
Flammable Gases on Contact with Water
• Oxidizing Liquids
• Oxidizing Solids
• Organic Peroxides
• Corrosive to Metals
Health Hazards
10 Classes:
O Acute toxicity
O Skin corrosion/irritation
O Serious eye damage/eye irritation
O Respiratory and skin sensitization
O Germ cell mutagenicity
O Carcinogenicity
O Reproductive toxicity
O Specific target organ toxicity – repeated exposure
O Specific target organ toxicity – single exposure
O Aspiration hazard
Product Classification
** The classification of a hazardous
product will determine what information
goes on the label and SDS
O Supplier’s responsibility to classify
O More complex than WHMIS classification,
especially when classifying mixtures
WHMIS
symbols
will be
replaced
New symbols: GHS
retain
?
?
Pictograms
New
Labels
Image:
Image
Source:
CCOHS
CCOHS
GHS Label
Elements
Product Identifier
(Ingredients?)
Hazard symbols/pictograms
Signal Word:
“Danger” or “Warning”
Hazard Statements
Precautionary Statements
English & French
Supplier Identifier
(Name, Address, Phone)
+ MSDS Reference Statement?
Safety Data Sheets
O New “Safety Data Sheets” (SDS):
O 16 sections
O Standardized order
O Hazard classifications
O Symbols
O Enhanced first aid
SDS
Legislation Changes
O Amendments to Hazardous Products Act
O Controlled Products Regulations to be
replaced with new Hazardous Products
Regulations
O Hazardous Materials Information Review Act
to be amended
O Related OH&S legislation to be amended in
14 jurisdictions across Canada
Proposed Timetable
Anticipated Date
Deadline
Who
June 2015
For adopting the GHS
system of
classification, labels
and Safety Data
Sheets (SDS).
Chemical
manufacturers,
importers, distributors
and employers
June 2016
For providing
workplace training
based on the GHS.
Employers
Source: http://lrws.gov.sk.ca/globally-harmonized-system-classification-labeling-chemicals
Not “Pure” Harmonization
There will be some variances between
countries, due to:
O Level of protection of Canadian workers won’t be
reduced – some “non-GHS” elements of WHMIS will
remain in place
O Protection of confidential business information
O Framework of Canadian legislation
Topic 4:
Leading from the Front
O Compliance
O Best Practices
O Stewardship
Compliance - Marketplace
If you import or sell
propane and/or other
hazardous products:
Start now
O Understand new system
O Classify your products using the new criteria
(*Gather data/ Keep documentation)
O Prepare and distribute new labels and SDS’s
Compliance - Workplace
Prepare your workplace:
Start now
O Understand GHS basics
O Keep up to date on changes and key dates
O Make labels & SDSs available to employees
O Revise WHMIS training, then train your staff
Adopt Best Practices
O Take stock of how WHMIS is taught and used in
your workplace
O Improve employee protection …
WHMIS is meant to mesh with other chemical
safety practices:
O Engineering controls
O Policies, rules and preventive measures
O Personal protective equipment
Stewardship
Be an industry leader:
O Be knowledgeable
O Prepare your employees
O Inform your customers,
help them comply
Opportunities
You have time
to do a really good job
at this …
IF you stay informed
and act promptly
For More Info…
O Health
Canada GHS web page
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewhsemt/occup-travail/whmissimdut/ghs-sgh/index-eng.php
Or Google “health canada ghs”
How Will the “GHS” Standard
Impact Propane Suppliers,
Distributors, and End Users?
Canadian Propane Association Leadership Summit
May 2014
Chris Jodouin

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