Hazards & Operations that Require Special OHS Training
The OHS laws impose 2 kinds of safety training requirements. The first is a general requirement that employers provide whatever training workers need to do their jobs safely. The second […]
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The Top 5 Workplace Summer Safety Hazards (and What You Can Do About Them)
It's time for warm weather, long weekends, and backyard cookouts. But the summer season also brings unique workplace hazards. Staying safe during the hot weather means understanding and managing the risks. […]
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Work Refusals Special Report
Refusing to perform assigned work is normally an act of insubordination for which a worker can be disciplined. But OHS laws create a special exemption that allows workers to refuse […]
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Whom To Call To Report a Spill or Discharge
Every jurisdiction has an “emergency spill hotline” that you can call to report a spill or release of a hazardous substance. Here’s where to report such incidents in each part […]
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Ask The Expert: Which Hazardous Spills Must You Report to the Government?
QUESTION Which kinds of chemical spills do we have to report to the Ministry of Environment? ANSWER It depends on the kind of spill and jurisdiction you’re in. EXPLANATION Companies that discharge or spill products […]
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Hazardous Spill Reporting Form
As with any health and safety incident, prompt reporting of spills is crucial to effective response. Here’s a template you can adapt to capture the essential details about the spill […]
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Know The Laws Of Your Province on Spills Reporting
Environmental laws require companies involved in discharging or spilling substances that have the potential to harm the environment to report the incident to the government. But the laws vary significantly […]
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Don’t Teach my Mother WHMIS
My mom works in a highly hazardous occupation. She belongs to a class of workers who are the most injured in British Columbia. According to WorkSafeBC’s 2020 annual report, people […]
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What Does the OLRB Teachers Pandemic Decision Mean for OHSA Appeals?
By: Ryan J. Conlin and Jeremy Schwartz Historically, workers’ compensation law placed a highly restrictive definition on traumatic mental stress injuries, which meant as a practical matter very few stress claims […]
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WHMIS Training & Compliance Game Plan
Take 6 steps to ensure workers exposed to hazardous substances get proper WHMIS training. Many if not most workplaces contain chemical, biological and other substances (called “hazardous products”) that pose health […]
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How Often Must WHMIS Training Be Renewed? – Ask The Expert
There’s no shelf life on the freshness of WHMIS training. QUESTION Does WHMIS training have to be renewed every year? If not, how often is renewal training required? ANSWER No, and it depends. EXPLANATION There’s a […]
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Quiz: WHMIS Supplier Labels & Multi-Container Shipments
SITUATION A mine worker suffers serious burns as a result of misusing cleaning solution containing hydrofluoric acid (HF). OHS investigators discover that the bottle containing the solution didn’t have a […]
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Compliance Alert: COVID-19 Cleaners from U.S. Temporarily Exempt from WHMIS
It’s imperative to have ample supplies of Health Canada approved COVID-19 cleaning and disinfecting products in your workplace. But with domestic products in short supply, you may have to rely […]
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OHS Quiz: Welding & WHMIS Labels
SITUATION A plant supervisor instructs a worker to use a hot torch to cut an empty steel drum that previously contained an oil lubricant. The drum has a WHMIS supplier label […]
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WHMIS Training Review Program Checklist
The WHMIS laws don’t require annual training, they require annual review of WHMIS training programs. (They also require more frequent review in response to significant changes in work conditions and […]
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WHMIS Supplier Label Pictograms Graphic
INTRODUCTION: HOW TO USE THIS TOOL The old-school WHMIS supplier label is on its way out. Starting Sept. 1, 2018, supplier labels provided by suppliers of hazardous products must comply with […]
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WHMIS Supplier Label Inspection Checklist
INTRODUCTION: HOW TO USE THIS TOOL WHMIS requires employers to ensure that hazardous products used in the workplace have a proper supplier label. The new GHS rules keep supplier labels in […]
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WHMIS 2015 Pictogram Quiz
BENEFITS Canada is transitioning from the old WHMIS system (WHMIS 1988) to WHMIS 2015, which reflects the GHS and includes new requirements for labels and safety data sheets. Federal WHMIS laws […]
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Must Suppliers Disclose ‘Confidential Business Information’ on SDSs?
SITUATION In June 2016, a supplier develops a new chemical solution for cleaning machine parts. The formula for the solution contains an ingredient that the supplier’s competitors haven’t yet discovered. But […]
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When Must an SDS Be Updated under WHMIS 2015?
SITUATION An employer buys a hazardous product from a supplier. The supplier provides a safety data sheet (SDS) compliant with WHMIS 2015 requirements for the product. This sale is the only […]
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WHMIS 2015 Implementation Checklist
BENEFITS Canada is in the process of transitioning from the old WHMIS system (WHMIS 1988) to WHMIS 2015, which reflects the GHS and includes new requirements for labels and safety data […]
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Technical Guidance on the WHMIS 2015 Supplier Requirements
The purpose of this technical document from Health Canada is to provide guidance on the requirements of the HPA and the HPR to suppliers of hazardous products destined for Canadian […]
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WHMIS 2015 Education & Training Checklist
BENEFITS WHMIS is designed to protect workers from the risks posed by hazardous substances. The old WHMIS system in Canada (WHMIS 1988) is in the midst of being updated to WHMIS […]
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GHS Special Report
What you need to know about the new hazardous substance system coming to Canada soon.
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Chemical Switching Checklist
BENEFITS In many workplaces, dangerous chemicals and substances are one of the most common hazards to both the environment and workers. There are measures you can implement to protect the environment […]
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WHMIS Compliance Checklist
BENEFITS WHMIS is designed to protect workers from the risks posed by hazardous substances (called “controlled products” under the WHMIS laws). The key components of a WHMIS program are: Material Safety […]
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Spot The Safety Violation: Is This a Proper WHMIS Label?
Is this a Proper GHS/WHMIS Label? What’s wrong with this picture? The answer, of course, is not a proper WHMIS label. And while it may be better than no label at all, […]
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