At A Glance: A Visual Comparison of WHMIS Training Program Rules across Canada

WHMIS is a national system that imposes uniform workplace safety rules to protect workers exposed to hazardous products. And while the employer’s duty to ensure exposed workers get proper training and education in the hazards they face, specific rules for creating, implementing and reviewing WHMIS training vary by jurisdiction with regard to:

  • Whether WHMIS training programs must be tailored for a particular workplace;
  • Whether WHMIS training must be integrated into the larger OHS program for the workplace;
  • What, if anything employers must do to verify workers understand their WHMIS training; and
  • Whether periodic evaluation is necessary to ensure workers have retained their WHMIS training and knowledge.

The Chart below displays these differences visually.

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A COMPARISON OF WHMIS TRAINING PROGRAM RULES BY JURISDICTION

Jurisd. Prog
-ram
Must
Be Tai-lored
to Work-place		 Prog
-ram
Must
Be
Part
of Work-place OHS Prog-ram		 Employer Must Consult JHSC or Safety Rep Employer Must Do Annual Training Program Review(1) Employer Must Verify Worker Ability to Apply Peri

-odic
Eval-uation
of
Wor
-ker

Know-ledge Req-uired

 Other Reqs.
FED û û û û
AB û û û û
BC û û û û û
MB û û û û û û
NB û û û û û û
NL û û û û û û
NS û û û(2) û û
ON û û û û û JHSC or health & safety rep can advise employer to review WHMIS training program before scheduled annual review
PEI û û û û û û
QC û û û û JHSC establishes WHMIS training program and employer implements it
SK û û(3) û û û
NWT & NU û û û û û
YK û û û û

 

Notes
(1) In addition to regular annual review, more frequent review is required after changes in work conditions that affect exposure risks and/or new hazard information about a hazardous product becomes available
(2) Nova Scotia requires employers to consult the workplace JHSC but not the health and safety representative
(3) In Saskatchewan, the employer must consult the JHSC while developing the initial training program and thereafter must consult either the JHSC or health and safety representative in subsequent program reviews