Canadian Water and Wastewater Association eBulletin
 

Amendments to Hazardous Products Regulations will require costly changes to WHMIS/GIS labels and safety data sheets

Print this Article | Send to Colleague

New amendments aligning the Hazardous Products Regulations with the seventh revised edition of the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) will require companies to make further investments in revising WHMIS/GIS labels, safety data sheets and making related consequential changes to workplace environment, health and safety (EHS) training. The amendments include:

  • modifications to several definitions;
  • the adoption of a new hazard category for non-flammable aerosols and new subcategories for Flammable Gases;
  • the addition of a new test procedure for Oxidizing Solids, and modifications to Schedule 1 of the Hazardous Products Regulations to update the information elements required to be provided on safety data sheets.

In addition, Health Canada is amending Part 1 of Schedule 5 of the Hazardous Product Regulations and adopting a new physical hazard class, Chemicals Under Pressure, from the eighth revised edition of the GHS in a new Subpart 21 of Part 7 of the Hazardous Product Regulations.

The other regulatory amendments are diverse in nature and include clarifications and modifications to existing provisions relating to the classification of hazardous products in the physical and health hazard classes.

There are also clarifications and adjustments with regard to hazard communication elements required on labels and safety data sheets, as well as administrative updates to the Hazardous Products Regulations.

According to the government, adopting the seventh revised edition and select provisions from the eighth revised edition of the GHS will provide increased worker health and safety benefits and protections and facilitate trade through common hazard communication requirements for workplace hazardous products. A secondary benefit will result from clarifying, or adding, precision to certain provisions (with no changes to the scope or application of these provisions).

While there are other sectors that will be more impacted, it is anticipated that initial costs will be faced by all workplaces where hazardous products are used, handled or stored, because workers and managers would need to be trained on the changes to the WHMIS system resulting from the amendments.

The amendments to the Hazardous Products Regulations will come into force at the end of 2022, with a three-year transition period.

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/reports-publications/occupational-health-safety/guidance-hazardous-products-whmis-2015-supplier-requirements.html