Science 1206 March 24 th 2011
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System put in place to respond to the Canadian worker s right to know more about safety and health hazards of the materials they use in their workplace Canada-wide legislation with specific Provincial input provides specific information about hazardous materials (controlled products)
Legislation applies to all workplaces in Canada (in effect since October 31, 1988) Suppliers must provide information about the hazards associated with their products Employers responsibility to deliver WHMIS training to employees Employees responsibility to use training
Three parts to WHMIS Labels: alert worker to the identity and dangers of the product and to basic safety precautions Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS): technical documents which provide detailed hazard and precautionary information Education/Training: includes how WHMIS works, hazards of controlled substances, procedures for safe storage, use, and disposal
Compressed Gas Flammable & Combustible Material Oxidizing Material Poisonous & Infectious Material (three subclasses) Corrosive Material Dangerously Reactive Material
Explosion danger Contents under high pressure. Cylinder may explode or burst when heated, dropped or damaged
Potential fire hazard May catch fire when exposed to heat, spark or flame. May burst into flame spontaneously.
May cause fire or explosion when in contact with wood, fuels or other combustible material. May burn skin or eyes upon contact
Poisonous substance. A single exposure may be fatal or cause serious or permanent damage to health.
Poisonous substance that is not immediately dangerous to health. May cause skin or eye irritation. Repeated exposure may cause cancer, birth defects, or other permanent damage.
May cause disease or serious illness. Drastic exposures may result in death
Can cause severe eye and skin irritation upon contact Can cause burns to eyes, skin or respiratory system Harmful if inhaled
Very unstable May react violently causing explosion, fire or release of toxic gases, when exposed to light, heat, vibration or extreme temperatures
Required by WHMIS Laws Act as a first alert to the hazards associated with using a substance Two main types are Supplier and Workplace Labels
MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheet Provides workers and emergency personnel with the proper procedures for handling and working with a particular substance MSDS s include: physical data (melting point, boiling point etc), toxicity, health effects, first aid, reactivity, storage, disposal, protective equipment and spill procedures
MSDS s are only required for materials that are hazardous Physical Hazard: evidence that the chemical is a combustible liquid, compressed gas, explosive, flammable, an organic peroxide, an oxidzer, pyrophoric, unstable or water reactive Health Hazard: evidence shows that the chemical leads to accute or chronic health effects Includes chemicals which are carcinogens, toxic, irritants, corrosives, sensitizers, hepatotoxins, nephrotoxins, neurotoxins, agents which damage the lungs, skin, eyes or mucous membranes
Teachers Students
Get them from the distributor that sold you the chemical (don t throw them away!) The internet has a wide range of free resources: http://www.ilpi.com/msds/index.html You can purchase software or internet subscriptions
MSDSs follow a international standard 16 heading format Although MSDSs may look slightly different from one another, they should all have the same type information under the 16 headings
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
*HMIS (Hazardous Materials Industrial Standards)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gsvlurpm5c&playnext=1&list=pld5e DA6F917FC81A4&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1 QUIZ on whmis SYMBOLS