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Implementing WHMIS at the Worksite

Some municipalities have well established WHMIS programs in place and integrated into their health
and safety management system. For others, this is new information. If WHMIS has not yet been
addressed in your municipality, the following steps may help:

1. Assign responsibility for coordination.

2. Develop an inventory of controlled products.

 Look at every department/operation, and all the activities, jobs, services provided by each
operation (this can be part of the hazard assessment process).

 Include controlled products which are partially exempt (eg. consumer products, pesticides).

 Remember that some controlled products might only be used seasonally.

3. Ensure MSDS’s are available for controlled products:

 It is often possible to obtain MSDS for partially exempt products.

 If you directly import any controlled products from outside Canada, you are responsible to
obtain an adequate MSDS.

 Develop a system to ensure MSDS are available when new controlled products are purchased
(eg. whenever a product is received, records are checked to ensure an MSDS is available).
Who within the municipality is the best person to do this? Can it be done centrally or must it be
done departmentally?

 Make sure MSDS get to the appropriate locations (so that they are readily available to the
workers who need them).

4. Ensure labeling is appropriate.

 Purchased controlled products should have WHMIS supplier labels on them (unless they are
exempt).

 The municipality will need to apply a supplier label to any imported controlled products (unless
the foreign supplier is willing to do this).

 Worksite labels need to be applied whenever a controlled product is transferred into a new
container. (This applies to the partial exemptions also.) Who will be responsible for developing
worksite labels?

 Piping systems containing a controlled product (including, for example, compressed shop air)
must be clearly identified.

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